Suzanne Elizabeth Fawkes

SUZANNE A. FAWKES JUNE 8, 1940 – November 6, 2016 Regretfully, Suzanne has fallen asleep in the arms of her loving Father, Jehovah God. She however has the hope of her resurrection and then being united with her loved ones in a Paradise on Earth and enjoying everlasting life. Sue achieved a BS and an MS in Audiology and Speech Pathology from the University of Missouri, Columbia, MO that launched a 50+ year long career serving students with speech needs and hundreds of patients in hospitals and nursing homes. While on Earth, Sue was a positive force in all the lives she touched. Many patients and students later contacted her thanking her for her loving concern and care. She loved to travel and took exciting trips to Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Alaska, Hawaii, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Russia, Germany, Estonia as well as trips to Panama, Columbia, South America, Belize, Mexico, San Blas Islands, Costa Rica, the Caribbean, Jamaica, North Eastern Canada and several camping and canoeing trips to the Yukon spending up to 30 days canoeing the Yukon River. She loved to fish and did so in Alaska for Salmon and Halibut, ocean fishing in Florida, landing a trophy Sword fish, lake trout fishing in Michigan, trout fishing in Colorado streams and game and pan fishing in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She always brought “home the bacon” when fellow fisherman were “skunked”. She also loved quilting, was an avid reader, gardener and a gourmet chef and baker and she loved to entertain socially. She was always busy. Yet, as busy as she was, she had time and the energy to be a loving wife to Gary for almost sixty years and be a dedicated mother to Carter and Jill. Above all, she dedicated herself to serve Jehovah God and followed Jesus Christ as her Savior. She was a Baptized Jehovah’s Witness attending the Liberty, MO congregation. She used her skills and talents preaching and witnessing door to door. She studied relentlessly and was a fine example of true Christian conduct and achieving a solid relationship with her Creator. Unfortunately in the pinnacle of her life, Suzanne was stricken with PLS, Primary Lateral Sclerosis, very similar to ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. PLS is a nasty, debilitating disease that saps the energy and strength away from its victims. Sue kept fighting. She lost the use of her predominant right hand and arm so she compensated by learning to feed herself and write with her left hand. She continued to bathe and dress herself using only one hand and one arm. Eventually she lost the use of her right leg and lost her ability to speak and endured labored breathing. Admirably she maintained an incredibly positive attitude. She never gave up or demonstrated any feelings of being a victim. She had unshakable courage. She had faith in Jehovah’s promise of the resurrection and that pain and suffering would be no more. She kept that unshakable faith to the end of her life and trusted she had built a solid relationship with her God. She will be greatly missed in this system and remains my personal hero. The family requests no flowers.