Susan Kay Nelson, 52, of Tofte, died peacefully Saturday, January 30, 2016 at St. Mary’s/ Essentia Health Medical Center in Duluth.
Susan Kay Terry was born April 8, 1963 the daughter of Lee and Maxine Terry in Craig, Colorado. She was baptized at the United Methodist Church in Rawlins, Wyoming.
Sue graduated from Natrona County High School in Casper, Wyoming with the class of 1981.
Years later, she enrolled in Western Dakota Technical Institute in Rapid City, South Dakota and received a degree on May 22, 1998 for Associate of Applied Science business management and marketing. In 1998 Sue made the decision to relocate to the North Shore to start her career in business management.
Her passion for helping others started in 1985 when she was a nursing assistant at Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Custer, South Dakota. In 2000 she wanted to follow that passion again and started CNA classes at the North Shore Hospital. This led to a long and successful career in the North Shore Care Center and home health aide field.
During her home health aide career, Sue’s compassion and loving personality led to close bonds with everyone she came in contact with. She was a favorite and often requested with most home health care patients. She would attend every funeral, and grieved over every passing as if it were one of her own family members. Always needing to stay busy, she was also a devoted employee to Bluefin Bay Resort as a long time server.
In 2001 Sue met Mike Nelson. In 2010 the two were united in marriage and made their home in Tofte.
Sue will always be remembered for her loving and outgoing personality, being an amazing mother, companion and grandmother. She was easy to talk to. If you were looking for some honest advice she would be the first to offer it. She was always putting everyone above herself. She worked hard for everything she had and even harder to see her loved ones happy.
Sue is survived by her husband, Mike; her children Melissa (Paul) Roering of Hawley, Minnesota, Larry Lee (Kayla) Burg of Casper, Wyoming, four stepchildren, Sarena Nelson and Sam Crowley of Tofte, Christina Nelson of Duluth, Gina Nelson and Dustin Nelson of Austin, and Alana (Mike) Suomela of St. Louis Park, Minnesota; five grandchildren, Blaine, Cullen Hall, Finley Crowley, a yet-to-be-born baby girl or boy, and Alec and Payton Suomela.
She was preceded in death by her father Lee D. Terry of Casper, Wyoming; a grandchild Liam Hall and her beloved Polar Bear and Sir Harley Ray.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Zoar Lutheran Church, February 20, at 11 a.m.
Forever in our hearts but never forgotten. She will be missed beyond words.
Leave a Reply