Sue Lynne Frymark

January 31 1947 – June 28 2022

Sue Lynne was born in Milwaukee Wisconsin to Isabel Eileen (Paul) and Arthur Paul Frymark January 31 1947. She was the oldest of her siblings Paul (May 15 1950 – March 5 2017), Heidi and Tim (April 18 1961 – January 31 2019). They have always been a very close family including many aunts, uncles and cousins as very important members of their lives. Our fondest memories were summers spent on our relative’s dairy farms in Wisconsin. Sue was also very proud of and an important part of the lives of her nieces and nephew, Jodie Chevez, Robert O’Connor, Hilerie Swim Hamilton, Melissa Coli and Naomi Norlin. Her grandnieces and grandnephews Evalin, Jackie, Kaitlin, Trevor, Austin, Levi and Athena brought great joy to her life. She always sent a birthday or other occasion card to each member of her extended family and always a special gift for her grandnieces and nephews birthdays. Sue also had a very large network of friends and close acquaintances she remained close to whom she met from nursing school, her careers, church and ministries. Her love, generosity, steadfast and devote faith in our creator has touched the lives of many and she is very much missed.

Sue felt her entire life was orchestrated and called upon by God to accomplish all that she did. After graduating from Nichole High School she attended nursing school at Columbia Hospital School of Nursing graduating in 1968 in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Until the day of her death she kept in close contact with many of her college classmates with phone calls and monthly zoom meetings. She always felt the desire and call to become a nurse from early childhood on even though she had never been in a hospital or knew a nurse. She wrote in a memo I found “Years later I realized it was God who planted that desire in my heart. It became a great blessing in my life and opened doors of opportunity I never would have imagined for me. God is good.”

After nursing school she moved to Portland Oregon to join her mother and siblings as well as a couple uncles and their families. Being so family oriented our extended family became more like immediate family to whom we still keep in close contact with. Again Sue was much loved and by so many. She was an inspiration to us all both friends and family.

Sue then started her career with Good Samaritan Hospital and was there for nearly 30 years, of which 25 were spent developing and providing support services for those with cancer. She went on to develop such a program and it was so successful that she was in high demand to create such programs and present lectures for other hospitals across the county. She also wrote several major medical papers and was included in several nursing school books. Sue was vice president and then president of the Oregon Division of the American Cancer Society from 1983 -1986. I found a paper she wrote which reads… When she left (Good Samaritan Hospital), at a farewell gathering someone asked her “If resources weren’t an issue what would be your dream job?” Her response was to develop a community based program to help those with cancer and their families. She went on to write that she feared if the hospital couldn’t do it how could she? “Well I couldn’t but God could!” She went on to write “Eventually an opportunity came to make my dream (God’s plan) come true.” She became the director of community based program with offices and services located on the east side near Broadway Bridge. It was totally based on charitable giving many of which were large corporations. “It was a journey of wonder as I watched God’s work”. This went on until the economy took a nose dive around 2010.

Sue then found another calling joining several ministries and was very involved with her church. One which she devoted most of her time was the Wilderness Journeys. Sue coauthored a book with Karen Haren named “Where is God in the Turmoil of a Life-Threatening Illness”. They also created a nine week faith based educational support group titled “Help for Families Facing Life Threatening Illness Holding Christ’s Hand”. Sue was well prepared for this ministry as in 2015 Sue was diagnosed with a life threatening illness of a rare lung condition for which there was no cure.

Once again Sue put her faith and trust in God. Her Church put together a laying on of hands service of which she participated in. I was there and it definitely impacted me witnessing the love and healing that took place on that day followed by the love and support of her friends and family who gathering downstairs. As Sue wrote “I was overcome with tears as the Lord so powerfully touched me”. At this time Sue was given about a year to live, she went on to live almost seven more years. Any cold or flu could end her life through respiratory arrest as her breathing was significantly compromised. The family united, her brother Tim became her care giver and took care of the hard yardwork and house hold chores. Paul was her legal and financial adviser and strong back to lean on, Char became what Sue called her “Mom” making sure she took care of herself and I did what I could to keep her house clean and pantry stocked and we all offered moral support.

As time went on we lost both our brothers and Sue was developing more and more complicated and rare conditions. It was painful to witness her going through these horrific challenges. It was no longer safe for her to remain in her multistory home and she moved to Cherrywood Retirement Home. She was very happy there, all the staff was amazing and so kind and helpful. However her health continued to dramatically decline and she continued to develop more and more rare issues significantly declining her quality of life. At this point she depended on home health care to help her with daily living.

Through all of this Sue never lost her faith. I admire her for this. The day before she died she told Amanda her caregiver that she felt her time was near. When Amanda asked her why she said she did not know she felt her body could not go on and somehow she knew. I think it was God calling her home. She was found passed the following morning. Her body was there but she was gone to be with her friend, creator and the love of her live. God bless you Sue. We miss you beyond words.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 27, 2022, 1:00 pm at Faithful Savior Lutheran Church 11100 NE Skidmore Street, Portland, OR 97220.