Susanne Houlihan

Susanne Houlihan, 80, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully in the hospital on April 9, 2026 after a sudden struggle with cancer. Born on February 11, 1946, in Evergreen Park, IL, Sue’s life was a testament to caring, loyalty, and serving others.

Susanne was a woman who could always be counted on to ensure the nurture, safety, and intellectual development of others around her. As a pediatrics nurse, a stay-at-home mother, a childcare provider, a dedicated Christian, and a good neighbor, she strove to ensure that others had what they needed to mature, grow, and develop into productive, happy adults. She was exceedingly proud of her three biological children, their three spouses whom she loved and embraced as her own, the three children she nannied, her eight grandchildren, and her two great-grandchildren.

Susanne was always up for adventure - whether it was an odyssey of the mind or a challenge for the body. She delighted in working on jigsaw puzzles, board games, crosswords, and any other mental exercise she could find. She loved taking pictures of those she adored, going on vacations (especially the Disney World trips she and Jim took with each of their grandchildren when they turned 6 years old), and particularly enjoyed hiking in the many national and state parks she visited. She was there to support every sport competition, musical, or concert, no matter how far she had to drive to get there. One of her favorite things was taking others (especially her grandchildren) to museums, zoos, parks, events, and experiences - anything that would lead to new learning, new interests, and a growing appreciation of the world God made and all the people who live in it.

Susanne was also the epitome of hospitality; if you were blessed to enter her home, you would be welcomed with fresh, clean smells, tempting aromas and treats in the kitchen, comfortable furnishings, and beautiful environments in every room. She loved to talk and entertain, and was most happy when her home was filled to the brim with her entire family for a holiday gathering. Sue enjoyed making and trying many foods, but she couldn’t go a day without spending some meaningful time with a piping hot mug of her beloved friend: Coffee.

Sue will be remembered best and missed most by her close family, to whom her constant presence, unceasing care, sincere desire to help, quirky sayings, handmade custom greeting cards, personalized treats, and vigorous opinions all revealed her as a woman with a loyal, tenacious, and remarkably resilient heart. To have her as a mother-figure and friend was to have a bold advisor, a faithful prayer partner, a constant helper, and an enthusiastic partner in any pursuit. Her sincere faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and her efforts to point others to God were an inspiration and comfort, especially as she faced her struggle with suffering at the end of her life. She will be sorely and deeply missed.

Sue was the loving and faithful wife of James Thomas Houlihan Jr., who preceded her in death just 26 days earlier on March 14, 2026; loving mother of Colleen (Mark) Schultz, Jaime (Joshua) Blunt, and James III (Jaime) Houlihan; cherished grandmother of Lauren Blunt, Jason (Amelia) Blunt, Samuel Blunt, Megan Houlihan, Julia Schultz, Jack Houlihan, Andrew Houlihan, and Benjamin Schultz; proud great-grandmother of Jane and James Blunt; dear friend of Evelyn VanDrunen; caring “Aunt Sue” of Katie Knudson, Jimmy Conboy, and Anna Taft; fond sister of Raymond (Judy) DeVries Jr., the late Janet (Richard) Ergang, Woodrow (Julie) DeVries, and Donald (LouAnn) DeVries; kind aunt of many nieces and nephews; dearest daughter of the late Raymond DeVries Sr. and Jessie (Oostenveld) DeVries.

Arrangements for a dual memorial service for Sue and her husband Jim are not yet complete, but are being planned for mid June and will be posted here once details are fully known. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) in Susanne’s name.