Susan Van Deraa

Susan met her husband Jim on a blind date on November 1, 1985, in Roswell, Georgia. During that first date, Jim was surprised to learn that Susan’s grandmother, Marie Keyser, was Marie Reynebeau from his family home town of Little Chute, Wisconsin.

During their 37 years of marriage, Susan was a legal secretary for different attorneys and for the National Christian Foundation (NCF) in Alpharetta, Georgia. However, Susan’s greatest passion was working in her kitchen creating gourmet meals. She would even allow Jim into the kitchen to help, provided he would do exactly what she said.

Each year, Susan would plan summer vacations on the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. As retirement came closer, they began to focus more on their most favorite destination of Cape Coral, Florida. That is when they found a vacant, lake-front lot to build their dream “forever” home. Susan’s wish to decorate a new house was finally realized and the results were amazing!

Susan is survived by her husband Jim, their daughter Laura, her sister Donna and her husband Brian, step-son Jeremy and his wife Lainie, step-son Elliott, and granddaughter Tessa.

A private graveside ceremony is being planned.