Sue Ziliotto

03/01/1942 – 01/21/2024 

Sue Ziliotto, beloved daughter of Wesley and Iva Harrison, born on May 1, 1942, passed away unexpectedly in her sleep on Jan. 21, 2024. 

She leaves behind several stepchildren and grand-stepchildren from her first marriage to Michael Omo: stepdaughter Gwen Omo, children Nikki and Kevin Qualls, and great-grandchild Raelynn Mckel, all from Texas. 

From her marriage to John Ziliotto in October 1993, she leaves behind Christy Madden and her children Matthew and Kimberly; Doug Ziliotto and his children Ryan and Sophie; and her son Hudson, and John’s daughter Staci Ziliotto. Sue was a lifelong member of the First United Methodist Church in Santa Barbara, where she was baptized and remained an active member throughout her life.

A woman of deep faith and compassion, Sue was a member of the Interfaith Prayer Shawl Ministry, which she founded in 2007. Through this ministry, she and fellow members knitted or crocheted prayer shawls, providing comfort and solace to those facing illness, bereavement, and other challenges, and to families to celebrate a newborn baby. These prayer shawls were not only distributed locally but reached far and wide, extending their warmth nationally and internationally.

She also served in many ways at her church: she served on various committees including Staff Parrish Relations, organized the apparel for the Living Nativity for many, many years, and dressed many shepherds, Wise Men and Holy Families. She sang in the choir from the age of five, and she was active in Women of Spirit. When Sue and John helped together at many events such as church fundraisers and pancake dinners, even swing dancing to delight the crowd, you could tell Sue had found the love of her life.

Sue’s commitment to community service extended beyond the church. She served on the boards of several non-profit organizations, including Domestic Violence Solutions, the Santa Barbara Symphony and the Santa Barbara Women’s Club, to name a few. Her dedication to rebuilding communities was evident when, upon retiring in 1999, she and her husband John Ziliotto joined Interfaith Arson Rebuild Teams. Together with members of B’nai Brith, they worked tirelessly to reconstruct churches, primarily in the deep south, destroyed by arson.

As an ardent animal activist, Sue devoted her time to the National Search Dog Foundation and actively rescued senior dogs for adoption. Her love for animals and her passion for their well-being had a lasting impact on the lives of countless furry companions. There is even a nice enclosure at DAWG that has the Ziliotto name on it. They also contributed to the fund that trains rescue dogs for firefighters and so enjoyed attending the dog graduations when they went into service.

Sue’s involvement with MERRAG (Montecito Emergency Response and Recovery Group) showcased her commitment to emergency response, where she and John served on the board in various capacities. As a Santa Barbara native, she and her husband shared a strong sense of community and pride.

Sue Ziliotto’s legacy is one of love, service, and compassion. She leaves behind a community enriched by her selflessness, a church strengthened by her faith and a world touched by her kindness. She will be dearly missed by all who were fortunate enough to know her. May she rest in eternal peace.

Services will be held at First United Methodist Church at 305 E. Anapamu St. in Santa Barbara on March 9 at 11 a.m.