Sue E. Sullivan

Susan Eileen Sullivan, 63, of Kelso passed away Nov. 8, 2013, at the Hospice Care Center.

She was born to Victor and Audrey (Moonen) Anderson at Cowlitz General Hospital in Longview April 12, 1950.

Victor and Audrey brought “Susie” home to Skamokawa, Wash., where she was raised in the village of her family and friends. Susie attended Skamokawa Grade School, a beautiful, wood-framed four-room school house built in 1926 on the banks of the Columbia River. Her uncles, aunts and cousins also attended school there.

She became a member of Skamokawa Methodist Church and their Methodist Youth Fellowship group, singing in the choir and perform the piano on special occasions. 4-H became a large part of her life over the next eight years where she learned cooking, sewing, modeling, cattle, photography and participated as a junior leader at a 4-H camp on the Elochoman as a counselor.

In 1964, she traveled to Cathlamet to attend Wahkiakum High School. She joined the choir, participating in operetta, served in the girls league and pep club, played singles tennis and the drums for the drill team. She also joined Rainbow Girls in Cathlamet, a group her mother had been a charter member of.

Susie graduated in 1968 and worked as a waitress, nanny, laundress, janitor and nurse’s aide in order to pay for her education at Lower Columbia College LPN Certificated program. Graduating from LCC in the fall of 1969, she passed her state boards, received her license and began working for St. John Medical Center. She loved the challenges of working in the intensive care unit, critical care unit, critical pediatrics, and finally orthopedics.

Sue married Kenneth John Cox in the spring of 1970, their daughter, Heidi was born in 1971. Ken and Sue would soon divorce and Sue would become a single parent, working full-time.

In June 1973, Sue met Curtis Lee Cotter. They married in the fall of 1974. In April 1977, another daughter, Jaime would join the family.

In 1976, she joined the Parent Teacher Association. She was a fourth-generation member and very proud to follow in her mother’s, maternal grandmother’s and maternal great-grandmother’s footsteps at the grassroots of the association. She volunteered in both her daughters’ classrooms and schools until their high school graduation.

In 1979, accepting the diagnosis of an inherited hearing loss, Sue knew she could no longer be a nurse. She began learning American Sign Language at LCC. She quickly realized she needed to teach her family as well, so she started teaching her children and their peers. She continued teaching sign language at the local schools and libraries on a volunteer basis until a family member’s illness forced her to stop.

In April 1997, Sue became adjunct faculty at Lower Columbia College teaching American Sign Language. In March 2000, Sue began teaching American Sign Language at North Idaho College. In June 2001, she returned to LCC where she taught until she retired in June 2003.

Sue enjoyed volunteering at a local school, walking dogs at the Humane Society, reading, gardening, genealogy, spending time with family and friends, and spoiling her grandchildren, great-nieces and great-nephews. Sue was well-known for growing beautiful flowers and tasty fruits and vegetables.

After 18 years of marriage, Curt preceded Sue in death Nov. 21, 1992. Also preceding her in death were her father, Victor on Nov. 11, 1996; her mother, Audrey on June 23, 1999.

Sue met Michael James Sullivan in March 2003. They married Dec. 17, 2005, in Longview. He survives her at home. Also surviving are her daughters, Heidi (Jim) Mallet of Dalton Gardens, Idaho, and Jaime Cotter of Kelso; Michael’s children whom she loved as her own, Kristi (Bob) Nichols of Kelso, Janette (Brian) Davis of Longview and Angie Lane of College Station, Texas; her grandchildren, Amber and Alex in Dalton Gardens, Jessa Booth of Toutle, Tanner and Tyler in Longview, and Kiarra and Kyleigh Vining of College Station; three siblings, Vickie (Dennis) Reid of Skamokawa, John (Robin) Anderson of Kelso, and Rick (Michelle) Anderson of Longview; her longtime friends, Sue and Allan Haglund of Longview; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and classmates.

A celebration of Sue’s life is planned from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sue’s birthday, April 12 in the fellowship hall of the First United Methodist Church in Kelso.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude’s or the Community Home Health & Hospice.

Sue believed family and love was everything. She’d like everyone to remember her with a smile.

As a last act of kindness, Sue donated her remains to enhance the lives of others through LifeLegacy Foundation.

- Paid Obituary -