Susanne Lucille Nelson

August 24, 1934 ~
March 21, 2022

Susanne Nelson, age 87, of Greenville and Grand Rapids, passed away on Monday, March 21, 2022. Susanne was born in Chicago and moved to Greenville after she married her childhood sweetheart, where she raised a beautiful family. She and her husband were part owners of Greenville Furniture and Colony House. She was a free spirited, forward thinking and independent woman. She was a lover of books, music, theater, and traveling with her husband, Darrell. She was also a proud owner of an art studio and loved to share her love of art with others, but her proudest accomplishment was her family of four children. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Darrell; parents, Hans and Agnes Skovlund; parents-in-law, Harry and Rachel Nelson; brother, Paul Skovlund; brothers-in-law, Steven Drake, Einer Jorgensen; and sisters-in-law, Jeanne Jorgensen, Hope Perdue, Ruth Anne Drake. She will be lovingly remembered by her children, Brady Nelson, David (Sharon) Nelson, William (Stephanie) Nelson, Rebekah (Sean) Durell; 14 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Robert Perdue; and many nieces and nephews. A memorial event will be held at a later date. Those who wish may make memorial contributions to West Michigan Cancer Society or the Forest Hills Fine Arts Center.

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March 28, 2022

From "The Prophet", by Kahlil Gibran "Then Almitra spoke, saying, We would ask now of Death. And he said: You would know the secret of death. But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life? The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light. If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life. For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one. (like Swamiji's "drop in the ocean"..) In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond; And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring. Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity. Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honour. Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king? Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling? For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun? And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered? Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing. And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb. And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance." Dance on, my sweet mother Sita. Dance like nobody's watching... because honestly - no one here can, any longer. 😔

- Son David (Davey, she called me)