Marian "Susie" Sollars

To Marian "Susie" Sollars, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Marian, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Marian really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Marian was born on November 18, 1958 at Baptist Hospital in Knoxville,Tennessee. Her parents were Barbara and Houston "Hootie" Christman. Marian was raised in Knoxville,Tennessee until the age of 5, then moved to Cleveland,Ohio. Even as a child, Marian had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn't’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.

Always a good playmate, Marian was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Marian managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Marian was raised with 2 brothers. She had an older brother, James "Dennis" O'Dell and a younger brother Darrell Christman.

All of Marian's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Marian experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She took part in dance classes. She was a Girl Scout and attended Church. In her spare time she liked to read,play with her friends,go to Sunday school, ice skate and ride horses. Marian's memorable achievements included earning her Girl Scout Badges, Perfect Attendance and Honor Roll.

Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Marian was a class “cut-up.” She didn't do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Marian simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Marian, grades may not have been the most important thing to her, but she really did enjoy her school experience. Since experience was Marian's best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory.” Marian graduated from Lincoln West High school in 1976. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was English. She earned a Business Certificate and received many Cheer leading and Majorette awards.

Marian reveled in her college years, where her imagination could run free. She was viewed by many of her classmates as being a creative, artistic person. Marian was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. She was a jovial person who loved to share her passion for fun with others. But for Marian, life was not a case of all play and no work. Marian relished the task of putting her imagination to work in class. She was able to discover new and different ways of answering problems and creating unusual and different solutions. She earned her Dental Assisting Degree and a Certificate in Business from Bryant & Stratton. Her favorite courses were Business Classes. Marian was very excited to have received a job at the Credit Bureau in Downtown,Cleveland. She loved it most because her mom also worked downtown and they would get to go to lunch in the fancy restaurants there. She also worked as an Assistant to the Corporate Manager for Central National Bank in Cleveland, Ohio.

Marian never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Marian to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Marian delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Marian was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Marian utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of her best friends were Pat McClanahan, Sandy Martin, Susie Webb, Debbie Rizer, Sue Mckown, Karen Bess and Marianne "Gram" Capura. Later in life, she became friends with Cheryl Tucker, Connie Britton and her many church family friends. Marian loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Marian very easy to approach. On August 7, 1993 Marian exchanged wedding vows with Jimmy Ray Sollars Sr. at Faith Cathedral of Cleveland, Ohio. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Marian related so well to children. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Marian was blessed with 4 children, James "Teddy", Jennifer, Jimmy Jr., Katie. They were also blessed with 10 grandchildren, Morgan, Jimmy III "Bubba", Kaylee, Zoe', Madyson, Savannah, Peyton, Dakota, Harleigh and Shannon. Marian had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Marian's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Marian had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Marian was a real “people person.” She had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Marian liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Marian was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Marian's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Marian as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was Customer Service Representative. She was employed for Nationwide Insurance Company, Pepsi Cola Company, National City Bank and also worked for the Cleveland Clinic.

Marian enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Marian liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were reading and doing crafts but her favorite was being able to help others. Marian was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.

Marian felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she wasn’t the best, Marian loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Marian relished the opportunities where she could make an impact, and she would often push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Marian never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. In high school, Marian did Cheer leading and was a Majorette. In her college years, Marian continued to stay active by ice skating. Marian was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Top on her list was football.

Marian had an endless appetite for new and different activities. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to an organization. Because of her personality, her humor, and her ability to get along with everyone, Marian's service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged. In high school, Marian was a member of the YMCA and 4H Club,Church. Throughout her later years, Marian was an active member in the church she attended and Ladies' Aide.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Marian recognized that her faith was important to her throughout her life. She was a member of Pathway Baptist Chapel for 9 years,prior to that she was a member of Faith Cathedral for 8 years and prior to that Hillview Baptist for 13 years. During that time, she was a Youth Group Leader, Sunday School Teacher, Singer. Also, she participated in Ladies' Aide. As the Pastor's Wife of Pathway Baptist she always taught the congregation that "We are here not here to judge one another, we are here to love one another". Marian truly lived by this motto! She loved and cared about everyone she came in contact with.!

Naturally outgoing and generous, Marian was regularly doing things for others. For her, the gift of giving to others was second nature. Though she never set out to gain individual recognition, Marian was given accolades for her many and varied accomplishments throughout her life. Some of her most prestigious awards included Several Gold Star Customer Service Awards from various employers.

Living life in the fast lane suited Marian just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Myrtle Beach and Tennessee.

Marian was not a big pet lover. However, one of her favorite pets was her mother's dog Zeda. She used to feed her biscuits and gravy.

Marian passed away on May 31, 2012 at Parma Hospital in Parma,Ohio. Marian passed with dignity and love while fighting a courageous battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband Jimmy Sollars Sr., her children James "Teddy", Jennifer, Jimmy Jr. and Katie, 10 grandchildren Morgan, Jimmy III "Bubba", Kaylee, Zoe', Madyson, Savannah, Peyton, Dakota, Harleigh and Shannon, her mother Barbara Christman and 2 brothers James "Dennis" and Darrell. Services were held at Corrigan Craciun Funeral Home. Marian was laid to rest with love and care at Eastlawn Memory Gardens in Brunswick, Ohio. If her family's love could have kept her alive she would have lived forever!

Marian brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Marian "Susie" Sollars lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.