Caroline "Sue" Van Hoorebeke

Sue Turley was born December 26, 1939, to Bill and Ella Turley in Joplin, MO. She graduated from Joplin High School in 1957 and married her high school sweetheart, Paul Van Hoorebeke, that same year. They had three daughters, Catherine, Christine, and Caroline. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and education from University of Kentucky and a master’s in English from Texas Tech. Sue began a career as an educator in 1982, teaching first at Estacado High School. She moved to Irons Junior High when it opened in 1989 and then taught at Coronado High School for one year before retiring in 2007, always teaching 9th grade English. Her enthusiasm and love for her career and students were evident to all who worked with her or passed through her classroom.

Sue had many passions and interests. She was a member of the American Association of University Women in Boardman, Ohio. She was also a member of Chapter CG of PEO in Lubbock. Sue was a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lubbock and went with the church on a mission trip to Belize. She loved to travel, touring Italy, France, Belgium, Scotland, and England at various times as well as traveling the US extensively. She reunited annually with a group of life-long friends, known as “the Columbia Babes,” that met in first grade in 1945 at Columbia Elementary School in Joplin, MO. She was a Brownie leader for her daughters’ Girl Scout troop, took students to Speech and Debate contests throughout Texas, and made sure all of her grandchildren learned to swim at the Seahorse. Sue was always such a caring, polite, gracious, loving person to all who knew her, and all agreed she “didn’t have a mean bone in her body.”

Sue leaves behind her husband, Paul, and her daughters, Catherine Van Hoorebeke of Lubbock, Christine (Al) Crispin of Modesto, CA, and Caroline (Rolando) Badillo, also of Lubbock. She also leaves 5 grandchildren: Hana (Matthew) McClung, Daniel Headley, Emily Van Hoorebeke, Albert Crispin V, and Alex (Ashlee) Crispin, as well as 4 great grandchildren, and her sweet mixed breed dog, Squid, who is bereft at her passing.

Services will be held at Resthaven Funeral Home in Lubbock on Thursday, August 7, at 1:00 p.m. with a reception following in her home. Graveside services will be at Ozark Memorial Park in Joplin, MO, on Saturday, August 9. Memorials in Sue’s honor to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America or Hospice of Lubbock are suggested.

Arrangements under the direction of Resthaven Funeral Home & Cemetery, Lubbock, TX.