Suzanne Marie Wilburn

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016 we lost Suzanne, beloved wife, mother, aunt, grandmother and friend, at home, surrounded by her family after a courageous battle with cancer. Cremation has taken place in accordance with her wishes. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, Feb. 6 at 3:00 p.m. at the Dugan-Kramer Funeral Home with Reverend Ed Hunzeker officiating. Suzanne requested that any memorials be given to the Panhandle Humane Society. Her obituary may be viewed and condolences left at www.dugankramer.com

She was born on June 11, 1941 to Harold and Louise Werner in Racine, Wisconsin and spent her childhood and teenage years in Chilton, Wisconsin where she ate fish every Friday, worked at the movie theater and the local A&W and engaged in general mischief. At age 18 she set off for the big city (Minneapolis) to study to be a Medical Lab Technician. There she met her husband, Gary, on a blind date set up through friends and once she found him she never let him go. They married Feb. 16, 1962 and moved to Rapid City, South Dakota where they had two children, Stacy (Wilson) and Greg. Shortly afterwards they relocated to Scottsbluff, NE to work at Wilburn's Transmissions alongside Gary's father (Leon Wilburn) and brother-in-law (Ted Larson).

Suzanne's interests varied widely. She dabbled in art, she volunteered as librarian at Victory Hill School, she did bookkeeping at Wilburn's, she gardened like nobody's business and she rescued animals. She was a voracious reader and a wordsmith. She was a champion pecan-pie maker and her chicken and dumplings were a family favorite. But her true passion was found when she got her first horse at age 34. After that she could always be found in the barn or on a horse. She introduced each of her grandchildren to horse riding, providing training, gear and encouragement. It gave her such pleasure to see them ride. She especially enjoyed trail riding and being out in nature. She was a gentle soul with a fierce will. She fought her battle with beauty and grace and she will be forever missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her step-father Arno Sohrweide, her parents-in-law, Leon and Twyla Wilburn, her sister-in-law Nancy Larson and various aunts and uncles in Wisconsin.

She is survived by her husband, Gary Wilburn, daughter Stacy Wilson, son Greg (Kelley) Wilburn, five grandchildren, Nathan and Connor Wilburn, Scout, Jesse and Maya Wilson, all of Scottsbluff, her brother-in-law Ted Larson of Arizona, niece Renee Cornejo of Arizona, niece Lisa Larson of Minnesota and many relatives in Wisconsin.