Susan L. Valentine passed away peacefully at the age of 73 on January 6th, 2022 after a brief but intense struggle with COVID-19. Wife of the late Robert Valentine, mother of Kelly (Ryan) Stephenson, grandmother to Charlotte and Elliott Stephenson, sister to Richard (Sheryl) Schiller and Paul (Annette) Schiller, sister-in-law to the late Carole (Paul) Rice and Willard Shaw, aunt and great aunt to many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Richard and Doris (Bohn) Schiller.
Sue was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Due in large part to her career in telecommunications, Sue and Bob lived in Kansas City, Houston, Denver, St. Louis and Dallas before the couple retired in St. Louis to be near family and friends in 2001. For many years, they enjoyed an annual pilgrimage with friends to Sue’s favorite place on earth: Siesta Key Beach in Sarasota, Florida.
Sue made life-long friends in every city, and she loved opening her home to friends and family for holiday meals and other celebrations. She has hosted countless Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve parties full of warmth, cheer and delicious food. She loved experimenting with new recipes alongside perfecting familiar standards. She gained a well-deserved reputation for bringing the best appetizers and snacks to others’ homes as well.
After her husband’s death in 2007, Sue found solace caring for others. Her devotion to her own grandchildren steadily grew into supporting her daughters-in-law, neighbors and other young families as well. She was always willing to share her time and her love by caring for these families and their children. Perhaps even more impactful than her role as “Grandma Sue,” was her devotion to animal welfare. Through the Humane Society of Missouri and later Stray Paws Rescue, hundreds of puppies, their mothers and even a few kittens were fostered and nurtured in her home before finding their forever homes.
A funeral mass will be held Monday, January 17th at 11:00am at St. Gabriel the Archangel. The mass will be viewable online at the church's website: https://www.stgabrielstl.org/ In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Humane Society of St. Louis or the St. Louis Zoo in Sue’s memory. The family asks that all funeral guests consider their own health and wellbeing before attending in person. This is especially true for those with greater risk associated with the virus and those who would need to travel to St. Louis. This summer, the family will also hold a larger gathering to allow more people to gather safely and wish her a fond “Bon Voyage.”
Monday, January 17, 2022
Starts at 11:00 am (Eastern time)
St. Gabriel Catholic Church
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