Suzanne Beth McMickle

Suzanne was born in November 1932 in Burlington, Iowa. She graduated from the Lutheran Hospital School for Nurses in Moline, Illinois in 1953 and worked as an RN for over thirty years. She retired from Proctor Hospital in Peoria in 1993 and spent her retirement years between Washington, Illinois, Fort Myers, Florida and finally Peoria.

Suzanne was preceded in death by her parents Thomas and Laura McElroy of Burlington, Iowa, her husband John W. McMickle, her brother Thomas McElroy and her daughter-in-law Mary Margaret McMickle. She is survived by her sister Margaret Hartman (husband Robert) of Fort Collins, Colorado, her sister-in-law Karen McElroy, and son and daughter-in-law, Robert L. and Jill McMickle of Peoria and son J.T. McMickle of Park City, Utah. Additional survivors are five grandchildren: Katie and Nick Sivertsen of Peoria, Ryan and Jessica McMickle of Peoria, Robert McMickle and Molly Sprague of Bozeman, Montana, Michael McMickle and Alex Leadon of San Diego, California and Maggie McMickle of San Francisco, California as well as four great grandchildren (Brooklyn, Hudson, Creighton and Patrick).

Suzanne was born in the depths of the Great Depression to a family of very modest means. She graduated high school in Burlington and bypassed teaching to be a nurse as it was one of the few professions readily open to women at that time. She could have excelled at many professions with her attention to detail and analytical skills. She worked full time while raising two children with her husband John. She was a compassionate person and would have cared deeply about her patients’ wellbeing.

Suzanne wrote a few words about herself:

"I love Florida, the sunny hot days, walks on the beach, wildlife and seashells. I love Washington, Illinois, with bike rides on the path through farms and corn. I love Peoria where I spent over 35 years and its bike trails, bluebirds and blackberries. I love Burlington where I grew up and its small town and community feel. I love sandpaper and varathane. I love Wrigley Field, the Cubs, Big 10 basketball and especially the Fighting Illini. I love my God and faithfully practice the Lutheran faith. But most of all I love my family: my parents and siblings, my husband who departed this life after over sixty two years of marriage, my sons and their spouses, my grandchildren and my great grandchildren."

Her grave’s simple inscription with only dates of birth and death will not do justice to the full and long life she led.

Suzanne was a member of Salem Lutheran Church in Peoria. Interment will be at Aspen Grove Cemetery in Burlington, Iowa. Family services will be held at a later date.