Susan Twardochleb

Susan Cushman Twardochleb (also known as Sue or Susie) passed away peacefully on August 6, 2026, in Sacramento, California, surrounded by her loved ones. She was 74. Susan is survived by her four children, Andy Westra (partner Michelle Webster), Laura Twardochleb (husband Jesse Adams and daughter Emilia Adams), Kimberly Twardochleb (husband Ryan Clark and children Rowan and Hayden Clark), and Micheal Twardochleb, a half sister Sarahmarie Clark and half brother Andrew Cushman. Susan is preceded in death by her husband Christopher Twardochleb, mother Cyntheal (Bates) Cushman, and father James R. Cushman.

Susan was born Susan Anne Cushman on May 3, 1952, in Kalamazoo, Michigan to parents Cyntheal and James Cushman. Throughout her life, Susan loved animals, and as a child her parents gifted her an Arabian mare named Karima, who she trained and showed English style. Susan later trained Karima’s foal, Amira. She graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School in 1970, went on to study business at Adrian College, and continued her studies at Western Michigan University for industrial education. While attending Western Michigan University, she began working in the office of the dean for the Department of Industrial Arts. Susan met her first husband, Vince Westra, during college, and they had a son, Andy, in 1977.

After graduating, Susan worked at Teledyne Continental Motors in Toledo, Ohio as a secretary, where she met her second husband, Chris Twardochleb. They lived in Temperance, Michigan, where she gave birth to their first daughter, Laura, in 1986. When Laura was a year old, they moved to Mobile, Alabama for Chris’ work and in 1989 had their second daughter, Kimberly. In 1992, they relocated to Alpine, California, where they lived for the next 30 years. There, they had their son, Michael, in 1993. In 2022, after Chris’ death, Susan moved to Sacramento, CA, to be closer to her daughters, Laura and Kimberly.

While her children were young, Susan was a homemaker. Later, she and a friend started a small business providing housecleaning and other services for the elderly. After several years, they purchased and ran a tea shop where they served traditional English afternoon and high teas. Susan later sold her share of the business to her friend and began working as a teacher’s aide in a special education classroom at a local elementary school. Susan loved children and took great pride in her work.

Susan was a kind and caring wife, sister, mother, and friend who put the needs of others before her own. She was empathetic, emotionally intelligent, and thoughtful. Susan was also silly and loved having fun. A favorite pastime was inventing personas for her pets and impersonating them to her small children. She also loved watching cartoons like Wallace and Grommet or Peanuts with her kids. Susan is remembered for her love of music; she sang in the choir at Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Alpine for over a decade, and she and her husband Chris loved attending classic rock concerts.

Susan’s life will be celebrated during a private service on August 11, 2026 at the Masonic Lawn Cemetery in Sacramento, CA, where she will be laid to rest with her husband Chris.