Pamelia Suarez Schlaf

Pamelia Suarez (Sue) Schlaf was born on May 31, 1946, in Eunice, Louisiana to Calvin and Hazel Aucoin. She left this life on November 14, 2023, after a long and difficult illness. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Debra Davis and is succeeded by her husband of 54 years, Tom Schlaf, her sister Sarah Wilde and husband Jim, her daughter Jessica Dillard and husband Mark, her daughter Allison Tankersley and husband Andrew and six grandchildren Austin, Alyssa, Alexis and Andrew McCloskey as well as Rhys and Gauge Tankersley.

Sue is a graduate of Istrouma High School, Ozark Christian College, and Widener College. During college she was part of a quartet that traveled to many states and the Concert Choir. She worked at Missions Services after college during the year before her marriage to Tom on May 31, 1969. She served as Assistant to the Dean of Admissions at Northwestern University while Tom was in graduate school. Sue was a servant of Jesus Christ as she led a teen choral group of over thirty teenagers in Pennsylvania presenting 4 cantatas over a 4-year period and travelling to many churches and nursing homes presenting the Gospel through song and drama. Her beautiful voice and passion for music blessed many people. She served as Direction of Youth Education at Boulevard Church of Christ in Charleston West Virginia. Before marriage, she lived in Louisiana, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Illinois. She and Tom lived in Missouri, Illinois, Delaware, New York, West Virginia, South Carolina, and Alabama during their life together. She loved travelling and exploring our wonderful creation and serving in several churches. Tom’s business trip to Europe gave she and Tom the opportunity to visit many countries. Vacations in Canada, Mexico and Jamaica were great joys to both Sue and Tom.

Before college, Sue lived with her family in Louisiana. Her father, Calvin Aucoin served in World War II in the European Theatre. Afterward, he used his veterans benefits to study for the ministry in Minnesota and Georgia. Upon completion, he took his family to Wyoming, Iowa, Indiana, Oklahoma and back to Louisiana. This created an interest in people and places and gave Sue a great appreciation for the people of our nation, the Creation and a love for serving people.

While Sue was attending Ozark Christian College, her roommate invited her and several other girls home to Rolla, Missouri. They attended church that weekend where they met a group of guys studying science and engineering. As a matter of courtesy, the girls invited the guys to the Christmas Concert, never thinking they would make the 180-mile trip from Rolla to Joplin! Well, much to the surprise of the girls, the guys arrived just minutes before the concert. A dinner after the concert resulted in a letter of Christian encouragement to Tom. This began a 4-year correspondence by mail (the Internet, Facebook and email had not been conceived of yet). Visits back and forth for those four years resulted in engagement and finally a marriage after Tom graduated a marriage that lasted over 54 years. After marrying, a “honeymoon” consisted of a trip from Baton Rouge to Rochester, NY where Tom was a summer intern in the Labs of Eastman Kodak. We took the opportunity to explore upstate New York, Niagara Falls and a trip into Canada. At the end of summer, we moved to Evanston, Illinois for Tom to begin his doctoral studies. After a short stint working at a Dow sales office, Sue got an interesting job in the office of the Dean of Admissions. This brought her into contact with applicants from around the world.

Upon completion of his studies, Sue and Tom moved to Delaware where he worked at DuPont, and she worked at Wannamaker’s. Her interest in law leads her to study at Widener College and receive her paralegal certificate. That training was most helpful when they got transferred to West Virginia. She wrote an addendum to the sales contract for the house we were building. The realtor was so impressed with the addendum, that she used it for future contracts! Before the transfer, Sue and Tom attended a small church across the border in Pennsylvania where she did some solo and choir singing. A wonderful opportunity occurred when a group of high school students came and needed a place to have a Bible study. We volunteered to sponsor them and then gave them the opportunity to put together a cantata, Celebrate Life. Sue directed the choir and Tom led a study of each song as we worked together as a team. Over 4 years, the group grew to over 30 students. Dramatic presentations were done at many churches and nursing homes in the area. The young people came from a wide variety of church backgrounds. Our attempts to have a baby were unsuccessful even after many tests, surgeries, and treatments. But at least we had our 30+ kids to interact with.

Our transfer to West Virginia began a new chapter in our life together. A new house at the top of one of the mountains of South Charleston had a great, unobstructed westerly view. Tom would come home to find Sue taking pictures of breath-taking sunsets across the wooded valley below. She used her Christian Education degree to work as Children’s Minister at Boulevard Church of Christ. Shortly after, we received a call about a baby that we would soon adopt! Son 11 years into our marriage, we finally had the joy and privilege to have the child we had been praying for. A transfer to South Carolina took place in 1979. Tom surprised Sue with a trip to Atlanta to see the stage play Camelot. He even set up a stay at the Camelot Inn for the night. Shortly after midnight, we received a call from her mother about a baby girl that we would be able to adopt. After 11 years, our family was now built with two girls to enjoy the beautiful home in North Augusta. Tom changed jobs to NutraSweet and our girls loved the Christmas parties put on at work.

After 7 years in North Augusta, we moved to Columbia and made many friends and served in a church that gave the girls the joy of doing baton in “Eve’s Angels”. They were even included in the Columbia parade and the Irmo Strut. We adopted two kittens at the Irmo Strut, so our family was growing! Hospitality was one of her gifts. We entertained travelling groups that sang or spoke at our church, served a part of a progressive dinner involving 40 people!

Sports and activities filled our calendars as both Jess and Ally were quite athletic and competitive. Sue worked part time at Dillard’s and made the most of her employee discount! Cats were now a part of our lives as Jess and Ally cared for them. Ally had a talent for working with all types of animals she worked with at school and as a volunteer at a wild animal rescue facility. Jess ran cross country and participated in all the sports as well as flag line. Ally also participated in all the sports. After playing basketball, the girls would change uniforms and do cheerleading for the boys’ teams.

Jess went on to get married and gave us four wonderful grandchildren. She studied law and has been a great help with legal issues that arrive from time to time. Jess has managed several convenience stores but unselfishly set that aside to care for her mother after three hospitalizations that required Hospice care. Two of the hospitalizations were in Mobile where Tom worked for 10 years. He retired so we could be close to family Jess helped us move back to Columbia so we could be near family. After moving to Columbia, Sue was hospitalized again and wound up in hospice for a third time. Jess, Mark, and Alyssa live with. Jess provided wonderful support for Suarez as she went through the 20 months of hospice support here until her passing on November 14. With the support she provided in Mobile, Jess gave us 7 years of her life assisting. Jess loves the holidays and brings much cheer to both Tom and Sue with her fantastic decorating for each holiday. Her husband Mark is a broadly based commercial construction worker with strong skills and education in sheet metal work and industrial decorating HVAC. His general capabilities have led to work in restoration and repair in the housing field.

Alyssa will be resuming her studies at Midlands Tech and has been promoted to assistant manager at Dunkin Donuts. Andrew will be graduating this year. He is a Blue Belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Austin enjoys gaming and helping his dad with his Brazilian jiu jitsu. Alexis, also a Blue Bule in Brazilian jiu jitsu helps Stephen with martial arts training. Alexis is very competitive in martial arts and has won many competitions. She is currently working at Chili's.

Ally and Andrew have two children Rhys is a junior this year and Gauge is a sophomore. Rhys loves cars and just got his own to work on. He has been doing electrical work with a friend’s father and learning that skill as well. He has been able to take several business courses in high school and hopes to have his own business someday. Gauge is in drama and loves it and anything Marvel. Ally found a niche in eye care, learning on the job. She enjoys working with all types of people with all types of eye conditions. Andrew is a master automotive mechanic beginning as an apprentice in high school.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at New Life Community Church, 10809 Broad River Rd, Irmo, SC 29063.

In lieu of flowers, memorial may be made to Agape Hospice Foundation.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.dunbarfunerals.com for the Schlaf family.