Susan Katausky

May 24, 1951 – May 1, 2021

Susan Katausky, 69, passed away at St. Joseph’s Hospital on May 1, 2021. She was born on May 24, 1951 in Monroe, Wisconsin to August and Trudi Burgi. Susan had one older sister, Sandy.

Susan graduated with a BS degree in Nursing in 1974 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and worked on the medical floor and the maternity ward at the Monroe Hospital. She then moved back to Madison and worked for the Red Cross Blood Services. In 1979, Susan moved to Phoenix, Arizona because she had a medical condition called Raynaud’s Syndrome and it was best for her to avoid cold environments. In Phoenix she worked for 6 years in hemodialysis at St. Joseph’s Hospital and then she worked for a private obstetrician-gynecologist until she retired from Nursing in 1992. After retiring Susan volunteered for numerous organizations such as the Crisis Pregnancy Center, the Desert Botanical Garden, and Therapy Dogs.

Susan met her husband John in 1983 and they were married at the Grace Community Church in Tempe, Arizona on May 12, 1984. She was the perfect mate and no man could have asked for anything more. Susan loved to dance, loved to garden, loved to travel, loved animals, loved art, loved live theater, loved music, loved to bake cookies, loved “I Love Lucy”, loved her husband, her relatives, her friends, her sister, her nieces, Debi and Lauri and their families, but above all, she loved the Lord. She was always quiet, proper, never judgmental, and impeccably attired.

Susan’s father passed away in 1995 and after that she devoted much time and energy to helping her mother. In 2005 when her mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness Susan steadfastly supported her until she passed away in 2009. She had a heart of gold and a determined dedication to her mother.

On July 9, 2015 Susan suffered a hemorrhagic stroke that left her with two conditions, aphasia and apraxia, which meant she had difficulty speaking. Sometimes frustrated, but never complaining she would just say “If this is the way God wants me to be, then I’ll just do my best. I’m trying!” Because of her condition it was difficult for her to read, but she listened to the Bible, audio books, and watched video Bible teachings almost every day. The book she was listening to before she passed away was a biography of Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Susan had an infectious smile and lit up every room she walked into. It’s difficult to find a picture of her where she is not smiling. Her spiritual gift was the ability to bring joy into the lives of those she encountered and she did that every day. This world has lost an angel, but heaven has gained one. She will most certainly dwell in the house of the Lord forever, but she may be doing some remodeling right now.