Eleanor Sue Schank

Sue lived in many places, including Arkansas, Virginia, Ohio and Hawaii, before settling down in Mesa in 1989 with her husband Joe. Joe was in the United States Marine Corps and each of their children was born in a different state.

Sue was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Joe Schank and their son Joe Schank.

She is survived by her sister, Martha Mae McKnight, of Searcy, AR; children, Linda Richardson, John Schank and Jami Moore; five grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Sue’s family was the most important thing to her. All of her children feel blessed to have had her as their mother as she was kind, funny and generous to a fault. She was beautiful inside and out.

Volunteering in the community was also very important to Sue. So important that after her children became adults, she donated all the money she would have spent on their Christmas presents to the “Save the Family” organization. Sue had the honor of receiving “Woman of the Year” award from Les Petit Fleurs, an off-shoot of the Children’s Home Society, an organization that helped unwed pregnant girls. She raised more money for the organization than had ever been raised in the history of Les Petit Fleurs. She just had a way of getting people to help out.

Sue loved to read, swim, play bridge with her friends, go to the theater, play games with family, and play golf. She loved the beach so she always wondered how she ended up here, in the desert. She loved to have fun and was always ready for an adventure. Following are some wonderful stories about Sue.

While Joe was in the Marine’s there wasn’t a lot of money to go around. Her children never knew but she made everything wonderful, somehow, so much so that her children actually thought eating SOS was a treat!

In Hawaii in the early 1960’s, the 7th Fleet left on a secret mission. While at sea, Joe had a friend in the radio room send a message to Sue that he was OK. Sue thought that all the other wives should know their husbands were ok, too, so she let them know. The Commander wasn’t too happy about that and she had a personal home visit from the Base Commander. She explained to him that she was just letting the worried wives know that everything was ok.

After Sue and Joe bought their son, John, a motorcycle, Sue decided she wanted to ride it. She took it for a spin and immediately crashed the new motorcycle. She was fine – but she didn’t get on a motorcycle for years after that.

When she was well into her 60’s, while on a family vacation, Sue decided she should learn to ski like the rest of the family so she signed up for lessons. Five Minutes after the lesson started she said, “No thanks,” and immediately took the skis off. She still had fun and laughed about that many times.

Sue was golfing with Joe, John and John’s wife, DeeDee. Sue hit the ball into the water, went to get the ball and fell right into the pond. That didn’t stop her from having fun – she got up and kept on playing laughing all the while.

Family time meant everything to mom. She was always trying to find something unique for us to do. Some of those fun activities included: Ice-blocking in the summer; Sue signed the family up for a tour of the Christmas Lights in Phoenix. It was the worst three hour bus ride the family ever had, but they all remember it and laugh about it to this day; Sue spent quality time with the grandkids, coming up with inventive ways to keep them entertained, such as finding unique shaped rocks and painting them to look like little houses. She still has those rocks – after 20 years!; an finally singing songs and making up silly words.

Sue loved church and had a strong faith. On the evening of her passing she said to her granddaughter, “I’m going to be free. I’m going to heaven tonight.”

She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.