Sue Ellen Launstein

Sue was born on May 5, 1949, and passed from this earth on September 4 during an early-morning thunderstorm. As her husband, Jimmy, would tell you, she went out with a bang.

She was Sue, not Susan, although she was often a Susie to those who loved her most. She blessed Muskegon County with 77 years of love, creativity, generosity, and the pleasure of her subtle humor. Sue grew up in Muskegon with her older brother, Stan, and her younger siblings, who were collectively referred to as "the four angels." We will leave it to you to determine whether that title was deserved.

Following graduation from Muskegon High School-Go Big Reds!-Sue worked at Carl's Hobby and Toy Shop before she began her career as a Nuclear Medicine Technician. Her early days in Nuclear Medicine were spent at Muskegon General Hospital. She continued working in Nuclear Medicine at West Shore Cardiology. The relationships she built with her colleagues were incredibly dear to her, and she carried those friendships with her throughout her life.

Aside from her family, Sue loved reading, sewing, quilting, and her "friendly" neighborhood hummingbirds.

Sue found great joy in life and literature. You could often find her cozied up in her rocking chair with a book and a cup of tea or coffee. Her love of reading was passed down to her grandchildren, who treasured afternoons spent at the library or wandering through local bookstores with Grandma. When Sue and her grandchildren went on bookstore adventures, she made sure each grandbaby selected a book that she would purchase for them. Astrid remembers carefully scouring the shelves searching for "the book." Once she found it, she would proudly make her way over to Grandma, her tiny arms filled with more books than she could carry. Don't fret; she devoured each and every one.

And then there was sewing. Sue was dedicated to her craft, creating countless beautiful and creative projects. In her downtime, you could find her at her sewing table making quilts, sewing doll clothes, or hemming a prom dress. She delighted in gifting the baby blankets she made to her family, friends, and colleagues as she welcomed the new arrivals. But perhaps her most legendary creations were the colorful ties and matching dresses she made in the seventies. With her go-go boots, she and Jim stylishly coordinated for their dates. Somewhere in a closet, there may even still be a blue leisure suit she made, waiting for its triumphant return to fashion.

Many of Sue's crafting adventures involved laughter-filled evenings with her sister Sandy. In fact, there is a family theory that Jo-Ann Fabrics went out of business when Sue could no longer sew.

Sue was also deeply committed to feeding the hummingbirds around her house and could tell you many stories about their wily behavior. She knew their personalities, their habits, and which ones were causing trouble. After 53 years married to Jimmy, she was a keen observer of shenanigans.

McGuire once made the observation that Grandma had a lot of love to share, and everyone who knew Sue would agree. Henry always knew there would be cookies in Granny's cookie jar, warm hugs from her arms, and a terrific bedtime story. When my husband's mother passed away, Mom told him that he could count on her to be his substitute mom. She took that role seriously-feeding him, hugging him, and folding his laundry whenever she had the opportunity. She made him feel like one of her own. I am not sure I have mentioned this, but she was a fantastic mom.

Those who knew Sue knew that if they ever needed anything, she would be there. As she lay in her hospital bed at the Leila and Cyrus Poppen Hospice Residence, she ensured a message with her phone number was sent to her nephews and nieces so they could contact her if they needed anything. Even when her battle with cancer took over her body, her heart and mind wanted to ensure her family knew her love, and we did.

That love for her family has always been apparent, showing up in small moments and creating treasured memories. Once, when her young niece was visiting for her first sleepover, she nervously asked to go home, because her mom probably missed her. Aunt Susie promptly called her sister and sent her niece home. She left carrying the prize box of cereal she had picked for breakfast, and the sheet she had fallen in love with while trying to fall asleep. That simple sheet became a treasure, and a beautiful representation of the endless love Sue had for her family.

That was Sue. She loved fiercely. She gave freely. She showed up. She fed people. She bought them books, dinner, and apparently bedding. She had a tremendous capacity for love, and she made sure the people around her felt it.

Sue was preceded in death by her parents, Norm Zahrt and "Marvelous" Marvel Zahrt; her delightful siblings Stan, Paul, and Floyd Zahrt; her sister-in-law Theresa Zahrt; her brother-in-law Fran Launstein; and her cherished cousin and birthday celebration partner, Dale Vanderstelt.

She is survived by her husband of 53 years, James (Jim) Launstein; her heartbroken children, Becki and Shawn Spitzer; her grandchildren, Astrid Beaudoin, Henry Spitzer, and McGuire Spitzer; her siblings Chris Zahrt, Norm Zahrt, Tracy Zahrt, Sandy Becker, and Skip Becker; and Aunt Sue's large and devoted fan club, consisting of her many treasured nieces and nephews.

So, if you happen to pour yourself a glass of wine filled to the brim, "a West Michigan pour," please raise it high and toast my glorious mother, Sue.

As requested, we will host a celebration of her sweet life on Friday, September 11th. Please join us at the Knights of Columbus, 2915 Fairfield St, Norton Shores, MI 49441 for a casual dinner, drinks, and laughter anytime between 5 pm - 9 pm. If you are not able to join us in person, but wish to honor Sue, please hug your family, invite a colleague to lunch, or snuggle up for a good book. After entering Hospice of Michigan in the spring of 2025, Mom wrote, "Tell everyone to have a good time and remember me with a smile and a laugh. I hope all of you have a lot of funny stories to tell about our times together." Love Sue Ellen Launstein (Mom, Sister, and Friend)

In lieu of flowers, Sue requested a donation be made to one of the following charities.

Kids Food Basket of Muskegon

Hospice of Michigan

Muskegon Area District Library (North Muskegon branch)