Suzanne C. Steidl

To watch a recording of the service, please use the link: https://youtu.be/xEj9kIfT3NE 

Suzanne Christopher (Jakes) Steidl, 81, Aberdeen, SD formerly Grand Forks, ND, passed away December 8th, 2023. 

Suzanne was born March 18, 1942, in Jamestown, ND to Elmer and Irene (Luessen) Jakes. She attended school in Jamestown and graduated high school there. She was active in band and continued playing until later in life when she couldn’t see the music any longer.  
Suzanne met her husband while attending college at Valley City State University. She took swimming lessons from an instructor who would turn out to be her future husband. Suzanne and John Steidl were united in marriage on August 13th, 1964, in Valley City, ND. 

Suzanne graduated from Valley City State University with her teaching degree and following college, she and her husband taught in Grand Forks, ND for 2 years. They then took a teaching position in a small village on a peninsula in Alaska, called Perryville. Following their time in Alaska, they moved to Thief River Falls, MN where Suzanne taught as a Nursery School Teacher for many years. She then worked for the Day Activity Center before accepting a position with the Thief River Falls school district working in Special Education, later as a Kindergarten teacher and then in Title I classrooms. Suzanne received Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 1984, and after making her impact with hundreds of children and spending as many hours out of the classroom as in the classroom, she was ready to put her apple on the shelf and retire in 2009. 

Suanne raised her children as a single mother following the death of her husband of 17 years. She focused her time and attention on her 2 children, Chris and Liesl, making sure they had all they needed in their lives. For many years the focus was on her teaching career and her children. Suzanne took pride in her three grandchildren, Keegan, Hannah and Bailey and every year she looked forward to celebrating their birthdays together as they were all born in March. She loved traveling with her kids and their families. With her community band she had opportunities to travel to different parts of the world and although she loved immersing herself in various cultures, her favorite adventures were time being spent with Chris and Kathy or Liesl and Lynn, Keegan, Hannah, and Bailey.  

Suzanne thoroughly enjoyed her many years playing in the community bands and wind band, playing the bass clarinet. She played even when her vision started to be affected, one patch and all! She spent time each week with her prayer group and helped where and when she could at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Lastly, her coffee group was so special to her, especially during COVID and lockdown time. She developed such special relationships and talked highly about each and every one of you! 

Lastly, her favorite feline furry best friend and companion, Pepper, was everything to her. She took in Pepper from Liesl’s family originally, 6 years ago, so that she could have a close companion and help keep her spirits up. Pepper was everything to Suzanne and Liesl and her family will continue to care for Pepper until they can be together again. Pepper continues to sleep on Suzanne’s bed so you know she is missed! 
Suzanne’s family and friends remember her as loving, full of life, always ready to share a word of advice, fact or opinion, loving music of all kinds (she loved playing but thoroughly loved watching her grandkids play music), she laughed so much and loved so hard! We all thank her for the memories, the adventures, all the lessons and oh, the stories! 

She is survived by her children Chris (Kathy) Steidl, Liesl (Lynn) Hovel as well as 3 grandchildren, Keegan (Zoey) Hovel, Hannah Hovel and Bailey Hovel. 

Suzanne was preceded in death by her parents, and her husband John. 

Visitation will begin at 10 am on December 15 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Grand Forks, ND. The celebration of her life will begin at 11 am.  Suzanne’s private interment will take place at a later date at Holy Trinity Catholic Cemetery in Fingal, ND.