Susan Kathleen Seager

Came in sixth or seven.

But if you’re reading this—

I beat you to heaven!” SKS

Susan was born in Arkadelphia, Arkansas on April 6, 1954, to Helen Ruthe (Medearis) and Daniel Albert Seager. Her family moved to Greeley, Colorado when she was two. Susan attended Arlington Elementary School for kindergarten and first grade, where she encountered one of the worst teachers she ever had in her life and one of the best. For second grade, her parents enrolled her in the Laboratory School the year Bishop-Lehr Hall opened on the Colorado State College campus and what is now the University of Northern Colorado campus. She attended there through graduation from University High School (formerly College High School) in 1972.

Susan continued her education, majoring in theatre arts with a minor in vocal music at UNC, completing her B.A. in 1975. She attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln for three semesters as a graduate teaching assistant, but opted to return to UNC, where the theatre program was far stronger, to complete a Master of Arts in Theatre in 1977. Following that graduation, she worked briefly for Cooper Highland Theaters before being hired by Weld County School District Six at Greeley West High School. She taught theatre and language arts from October of 1978 to the spring of 1989, also teaching one year at UNC in the theatre department during that time. She continued teaching in Colorado Springs in the fall of 1989 in Cheyenne Mountain School District Twelve, building a drama program at Cheyenne Mountain Junior High School at the request of the Principal of the school. She retired seventeen years later in June of 2006.

One of her inspirations throughout her adult life and teaching career was Annie Sullivan, the teacher of Helen Keller. She played Annie Sullivan in a high school production of the play THE MIRACLE WORKER. There is truly no better example of expecting the very best performance from EVERY student and the importance of small class size!

Susan enjoyed writing throughout her life—plays, song parodies, humorous poetry, as well as historical research, acting and directing. Through her teaching, summer arts programs, community theatre, summer stock, Little Theatre of the Rockies for seven seasons in the 1970s and 1980s, she worked with people from the ages of 3 to 93, finding that every age group has their charms and challenges.

After retiring, Susan enjoyed doing volunteer work, creating free searchable databases of old ledgers and records for use by other researchers. She also did genealogical queries sent in by others for free. It was through this work, that she decided in advance which funeral home to use at the time of her death.

When she gets to heaven, there are a number of people she hopes are there. Of course, she wants to see family members and good friends who got there before her and also talk to Cora Rosella Martin Allyn. Hopefully “Rose” knows who killed her in 1916 in Greeley, so then Susan will finally know for certain, too.

Susan is survived by her sisters, Mary Adeline Adams and Dana Ruthe Rietfors, and her brother-in-law, William “Bill” L. Rietfors, nephews Ian Adams (Vanessa), Tristan Adams (Mallary), Logan Rietfors and Nathan Rietfors (Melissa). Grandnephews Leland, Tiegan, Layne, Uriah, Corban and Ryley and grandnieces Eliza, Adelyn and Paisley, and great grandnephew, Isaiah. She was predeceased by her parents, brother-in-law Mike Adams and a grandnephew, David.

PLEASE no flowers, cards, crying, etc. If you want to do something, contribute to Compassion International: https://www.compassion.com/give/donate/ and/or go out and treat yourself to some ice cream. If you want to think about Susan, buy yourself a bouquet of dark purple iris to enjoy and something with a dragonfly on it. It should make you smile! Think of your funniest story about her and tell everyone you know. Make them smile and laugh, too. Heaven knows, Susan is smiling and probably laughing! After all—she beat you to heaven.

"The Susan Seager “Eat Dessert First” Ice Cream Social, a very informal get-together hosted by her family, will be held in the Fellowship Hall at Our Savior's Lutheran Church (1800 21st Ave, Greeley, CO 80631) on Saturday, August 8, from 10:30am-12:00pm. Please drop by to enjoy an ice cream sundae and share funny stories from your memories of Susan, whether you knew her from WAY back when or only in the years since she returned to Greeley following her retirement from teaching and directing."