An Extraordinary Life: Plainfield teacher's lessons for good living immortalized in book

PLAINFIELD – Of all the advice Jim Brown’s daughter gave to her students, one piece stays in Brown’s mind: “Treat people the way you would like to be treated.”

Brown, of Naperville, said he believes in respecting people and living according to one’s values.

“Too bad people don’t do that anymore,” Brown said. “It’s always right when you do that.”

Brown hopes he can inspire youth to “dream big” and “be a person others can trust and count on,” words of wisdom his daughter also quipped. They are included in Brown’s book, “Trip’s Tips: The Road to a Better Life.”

His daughter was Susan Cunningham of Plainfield, known to most people as Susan Triplett Cunningham. According to previous Herald-News stories, Susan, 47, a teacher at Plainfield North High School, was killed Oct. 20, 2015, in her home by her husband, Craig Cunningham. He then walked into traffic on Interstate 55, killing himself.

A candlelight vigil was held for Triplett at Plainfield North, which was attended by hundreds of students, co-workers, staff and members of the community, a previous Herald-News story said.

It’s easy to see why people loved Susan.

“She liked to help people,” Brown said, adding that Susan once worked for the American Red Cross. “She was happy and gregarious.”

One can’t imagine the grief of Susan’s loved ones. But Brown said students and school staff softened that grief by sharing stories of how Susan inspired them.

“I was pretty moved by that,” Brown said.

So Brown, former president of St. Raphael Football and author of a book about football, took the advice of his grandchildren – Susan’s children, Nick and Taylor Triplett – to write a book about Susan and her tips.

Before he began, Taylor offered some advice, Brown said.

“She said, ‘Don’t make it as boring as the last book you wrote,’ ” Brown said, referring to his book on football.

If Susan’s goal was to inspire people, the creating of the actual book showed she did just that. “Trips Tips: The Road to a Better Life” is a collaboration on multiple levels, and Brown credits many of those collaborators in the book’s introduction.

The actual 17 “Trip’s Tips” are 17 maxims Susan displayed and shared with students, Brown said.

Diana Leviton Gondek, a professional artist and family friend, designed the cover. Students in Lindsey Brown’s art class at Plainfield Central High School created the interior art.

Kristi Uzzo, a second-grade teacher at Freedom Elementary School in Plainfield, was Taylor’s teacher. Kristi commemorated Susan by sharing “Trip’s Tips” and writing her own version of the book, which guided Jim Brown in writing his.

Jim even incorporated the Archangel Raphael, a nod to St. Raphael Football. Susan never played football for the league, but Nick did, Jim said.

“I got the idea that Sue went to heaven, but that she’s still helping people from there,” Jim said. “That’s the approach I took.”

Jim said he’s probably given away more books than he’s sold, but he never intended “Trips Tips” to be an income source, which is why people can download the book for free on its website. Hard copies are available at Anderson’s Bookshop in Naperville.

In addition, Jim said he provided District 202 in Plainfield with many copies of “Trip’s Tips.”

“They can give them away to the people who need it most,” Jim said.

For information and to download a copy of "Trips Tips: The Road to a Better Life," visit www.trippstips.net.

• To feature someone in “An Extraordinary Life,” contact Denise M. Baran-Unland at 815-280-4122 or dunland@shawmedia.com.