Obituary of Susan K. Jennings

Susan Jennings, of Rochester, New York, passed away on July 7, 2026, at the age of 48. Born in Australia in 1978, Susan lived a life defined by generosity, and an unshakable love of fencing, a sport that carried her from a young girl idolizing the women on her father's Cornell fencing team to one of the most decorated collegiate fencers of her generation and a beloved coach and mentor.

Susan discovered fencing after trying nearly every other sport available to her, and once she found the strip, she never left it. She trained under her father before moving on to the National Women's Foil Training Center in Rochester, where she was coached by Olympic and U.S. National coach Buckie Leach. At Columbia University, she studied under Simon and Irene Gershon, U.S. Fencing Hall of Fame members, who also mentored her in her first coaching role at the New York Fencers Club.

As a competitor, Susan represented the United States on Cadet, Junior, Senior, Pan-American, and World University Games national teams. She was a bronze medalist at the 2001 Pan American Games, a Junior Olympic Champion, and a multiple-year U.S. Nationals Team Champion. At Columbia, she compiled a career bout record of 183–15, was a four-time NCAA All-American and four-time First Team All-Ivy , only the second Columbia fencer ever to accomplish that feat and was twice elected team captain and named team MVP. She is a member of the Columbia Fencing Hall of Fame.

Susan graduated from Columbia with a B.A. in Economics and Dean's List honors, then built a distinguished career in finance. She was the only female options trader in her firm at Bear Wagner Specialists on Wall Street, later serving as Director of Primary Research and Portfolio Manager at Timescape Capital Management, Global Bids Program Manager and Competitive Intelligence Lead at Xerox, CFO and HR Director at Flower City Gaming, and Senior Research Team Leader at Blueshift Research.

But it was coaching that captured her heart. After launching the competitive youth program at the Fencing Academy of Nevada where she was mentored by Olympic coach and US Fencing Hall of Famer Yves Auriol. Susan returned to Rochester in 2011 to coach at the Rochester Fencing Club, guiding youth, cadet, junior, and veteran fencers alike. In 2019, she joined Cornell University as Assistant Coach, and in 2022 was named Associate Head Coach. Under her guidance, the Cornell women's foil squad posted the highest win/loss record on the team in each of the five years she coached there, and the team achieved a perfect 32–0 regular season in 2022.

Susan's students earned fencing scholarships, admission to top universities, national final finishes, and Division I recruitment. True to who she was, she stayed close with them long after they left the strip, mentoring them into adulthood and celebrating their milestones as family.

Community service was woven through Susan's life from her teenage years onward. She delivered food and tutored underserved youth, taught fencing and life skills at the Boys & Girls Club, and led Cornell Fencing Team outreach efforts that brought her athletes into service alongside her.

Susan is predeceased by her parents, Graeme Jennings and Lilian Jennings. Susan is survived by her children, Zine and Zaina Kantari. 

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 29^th, at the Harris Family Center, adjacent to the Harris Funeral Home in Irondequoit, NY located at 560 Kings Highway South, Rochester, New York 14617 from 11:30 AM to 2:30PM. In lieu of flowers, you can donate to the GoFundMe set up for Zine and Zaina, click HERE.

Susan leaves behind a legacy measured not in medals, but in the athletes she shaped, the friends she kept for life, and the standard of grace, grit, and generosity she set every time she stepped into the salle.