April 8, 2004 I received a terrible phone call - my good friend Suzanne Lipschitz, founder of the Smurf Collectors Club Intl., passed away April 7 after a long battle with brain cancer.
Many of you knew Suzanne, or knew of her - the rest of you should know just what Suzanne did for this hobby you enjoy so much.
Suzanne was one of those collectors who was bit by the bug after building a collection for her child. Her quest to build her son's collection and identify variations during the early 80's led to numerous friendships that came together under the banner of the SCCI in the mid 1980's. For 15 years she shared her passion with thousands of members around the world, documenting and providing information about the little details that may seem trivial to others, but make Smurf collecting so enjoyable for all of us today - musters, raws, promos, markings, color and mold variations, you name it - finally throwing in the towel after 15 years of uninterrupted publication of the quarterly SCCI newsletters. These newsletters comprise the most complete and valued accounting of Smurf happenings during this period. Without her work, there would be an enormous gap in Smurf knowledge today - and the hobby simply would not exist as it does.
When I decided to take my wife's collection to a new level, I approached Suzanne to propose a "you-scratch-my-back, I'll-scratch yours" deal to advertise one another's Smurfy enterprises. She invited me over and, after much guidance, MushroomVillage.com was born (it was known as eSmurfs.com back then, before IMPS got involved - she warned me about them!)
Suzanne expressed to me a desire to pass on the torch, so that she could spend more time with her family - but at the same time her fierce devotion to her Smurf family was amply evident - she made me promise, again and again, that I would take care of her members - that I would be courteous, prompt, factual, and offer nothing but the finest quality to her members, who were apparently very important to her. She did not take this lightly - not just anyone would do, and I spent months convincing her that my heart was in the right place, and that I would do right by her members. Finally Suzanne gave me her blessing and referred her membership to me in her final newsletter.
She minced no words when it came to making sure I delivered on my promise! She was always in the wings, watching everything I did, providing priceless feedback and advice, making sure I dotted every "i" and crossed every "t."
As we lose Suzanne, so we lose one of the most impressive walking Smurf encyclopedia's this world has ever known. I regret deeply that she has been taken from us, especially now, as we are surely on the cusp of the Smurf revival we have waited so many years for. How she would have reveled in their return! Perhaps she and Peyo can now witness this spectacle together!
On this very sad note I want to assure all of you that I hold my promise to Suzanne as firmly as ever, and let you know I am now acting as steward of the entire SCCI collection. Suzanne worried about me making this public, as she feared it might be interpreted as her "pulling out" of the hobby. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. If Suzanne had anything to say about it, I know she would be serving us still, but alas, we cannot control everything in this world. Situations dictated that Suzanne pass her torch and I am honored to have been chosen as her successor.
Suzanne has put into my hands the entirety of the SCCI holdings - this includes every piece of Smurfabilia owned by the SCCI, the SCCI archives, originals and raw materials for all of the SCCI publications and newsletters, SCCI contacts and suppliers, the complete member list - everything.
Indeed, the Smurf room I have been working on for so long was designed around these materials - so that I could properly preserve, display and have easy access to all her resources as I continue to serve all of you. How bad do I feel that I was not able to complete it early enough to share with her? I wanted her to see how serious I was about preserving all she has done for us. Well, regret will get me no where.
Please everyone, I ask you to spend a moment today remembering Suzanne. If you did not know her, please understand how important she was to this hobby you enjoy. It is no understatement to say that she, more than any other, is responsible for the state of the hobby as it is today. So much of the information we "experts" share really comes from her mouth - she laid the foundation much of the hobby is built on today. I am told very often that I do so much for the hobby. Well let me tell you something, I sat on the shoulders of a giant.
Suzanne, thank you so much for all you did for me. You were the best mentor a Smurf could ever ask for. I will miss you dearly. Say "hi" to Peyo for me :)
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Suzanne's viewing was held at the Massapequa Funeral Home in NY, in her hometown and SCCI headquarters for 15 years. I very regrettably was unable to attend but I arranged for a floral display to be delivered to the funeral home reading "From Peter & all your Smurfy Friends at MushroomVillage.com - The world is a Smurfier place because of you, we will miss you dearly."
