Susan E. Forsgard

Wednesday July 2, 2025 Susan Elizabeth Forsgard passed away peacefully at home. Susan was a lifelong resident of Tyler. She was born Dec. 4, 1953 at Mother Frances Hospital to Joyce "Elaine" (Davis) and Samuel "Sam" M. Forsgard, Jr. Susan never married or had children of the 2 legged variety, though, she had dozens of fur babies in her lifetime.

She was known by many as "the Church lady", Miz Cat Lady, Suzie, her dad called her Sally Jane, and this friend called her Lucy. Susan attended Bell, Moore, and Robert E.Lee schools in Tyler, and graduated from Texas A & M with a degree in anthropology. Susan developed long-lasting friendships with many of her school peers. While attending Texas A & M, Susan worked at Tyler State Park during the summers, and after graduation, worked at Sam R. Hill lumber company for 9 years and then the Baptist Better Books (now Lifeway Christian Center) on Broadway for 30 years until retirement. Susan was in charge of the church supply department, including vacation Bible school supplies, and she also measured choir members for gowns. Susan loved her customers and coworkers. Susan spent the first 12 years of her life on Knob Hill Drive next door to lifelong friend Donna Cook Dorough, then moved to McDonald Road. In elementary school, Susan was in the Campfire Girls, starting as a Bluebird along with friends Donna Cook Dorough, Chris Walker and Lynn Beggs. Susan's mother, along with Lynn's mother, were the leaders. In high school Susan joined the band and played the flute. She credited Marjory Cook with leading her to a personal relationship with Jesus as a teenager. After college Susan attended Community Christian Fellowship where she made wonderful friends with members of Agape Force - Peggy McPherson, Jan Graham, Cindy Bazil, Steve and Donna Miller, Martha Waite, David and Luann Hickey. She also felt privileged to have enjoyed fellowship there with Keith and Melody Green of Last Days Ministries, and met friends, Judy and Mike Giles, through Donna. Later, Susan attended a cell group led by David Hickey that became so big they had to split the group; and Susan subsequently attended David's brother-in-law Larry's group where she met dear friends, Lois Fielder and Laurie Hipp Shepherd. Susan also loved family get-togethers with her grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. One of Susan's favorite people was her Grandmother Davis who inspired her and her cousins to love animals, especially cats. On her father's side, Susan’s colorful grandfather, Samuel M. Forsgard Sr., was a famous trap shooting world champion by the age of 11, and he encouraged Susan never to be too serious and to have fun, and was famous for his goosing and poking. Also must mention that Susan began an unofficial cat rescue as an adult especially feeding and watering feral cats between semesters at local colleges where the cats depended on cafeteria scraps. If a cat was sick or would allow Susan to catch it, she would take it to the Reeves veterinary clinic to receive care and be spayed and neutered. She counted Janice Reeves Green as one of her dearest friends, reporting that she would give Susan discounts and even accept barter for services such as china tea cups. Susan loved pranking Janice and asked that I mention to Janice "you just think Lamont is at my house" - Lamont being a gag gift that each took pleasure hiding on the other's Christmas tree. For the last 25 plus years Susan had been attending Tyler Christian Fellowship, and this wonderful group became her family and social life. Special thanks to her wonderful prayer partner Linda Dieter and to Jeannie Ebnet who asked her to help with the blankets of comfort ministry. Susan also wanted to make known that while Noble Johnson and Tender Tenbrink were battling cancer, they sat with her during hospital stays so she wouldn't be alone. Also, thanks to Karen Johnson and her mother for teaching Susan to quilt.

Susan is preceded in death by her parents, Sam M. Forsgard, Jr. and Joyce Elaine (Davis) Forsgard; brother, Samuel A. Forsgard; aunt and uncle, Sylvia Vaughan and Kenneth Vaughan; aunt, Ann Marie McDonald; uncle, Winston Davis; and twin cousins, Kevin and Kim Davis. She is survived by her aunt, Sandy Davis; uncle, Harold McDonald; cousins, Cyndy Spencer, Ellen Hartlaub, Cynthia Justinger and Erin Davis, and many, many devoted friends, who she considered family. Thanks to all who considered Susan their friend. Susan requested that any donations and memorials be made in her name to the Gideons; her church, Tyler Christian Fellowship and it's missionaries; or St. Jude.