A true patriot, Susan Ardelle Winslow Forbush was born in Salt Lake City, UT on Flag Day (June 14), 1932, to Frank and Hildur Winslow. As an ardent claimant to her Christmas season rite, she passed peacefully from this world on December 22, 2017, in Holladay, UT. Susan lived out her eighty-five years fiercely and unapologetically loving those God gave her. Here is just a snapshot of the impact she had on them.
Frank and Hildur raised five beautiful girls in their home on Winslow Avenue, and Susan, a self-proclaimed "tom boy" was the fourth in line. The Winslow girls were close to each other, and respected their hard-working parents. Susan attended Granite High School, and married Raymond D. Forbush when she was 18. Together they had three sons. The first (Val) was stillborn, and Thomas Ray Forbush and Randall John Forbush were born five years apart. Susan and Ray moved to California in 1954, divorced in 1956, and Susan moved back to Winslow Avenue in Utah to raise her children alone. She never remarried.
At that time, Susan returned to school, graduated from business college, and met life's challenges as a single mother in the 1950's with tenacity and grace. These challenges sculpted her into the strong woman she became, and rarely did she take ‘no' for an answer when she felt she was right. During her secretarial tenure with Union Carbide, Susan worked extra hours training for a promotion, which ultimately went to a less qualified man. Susan went on to win an anti-discrimination suit against the company in the 1960's. She later left this job to pursue other ventures, including starting a catering business with her sister, Joann, and eventually saved enough money to put a down payment on the purchase of two duplexes on her own street in the 1960's.
In the late 1980's, Susan began dating the love of her life, Earl Corey. Earl had been a longtime friend, whom she had known professionally, but it wasn't until later in life that they fell passionately in love. They spent just a few short, precious years together until Earl passed away in 1991.
Susan raised her sons to be hard-workers like their mother, and took great pride in their accomplishments. As they grew and started their own families, she became affectionately known as "Gram" to the ten grandchildren that adored her. As a "young grandparent", she was still full of life and energy, and poured much of herself into them as they grew up. She did the same for her 12 great-grandchildren. For over 40 years, she held fast to Christmas morning traditions in her home with grand-kids, family reunions, summer BBQ's and camping, children's plays, trips downtown, poker games, and recipe swapping. Gram was a true lady, a fighter, an industrialist, a feminist, the most gracious of hosts, and unknowingly blazed a trail of independence for her progeny, for which we are all incredibly grateful.
She is survived by her sons: Thomas R. Forbush (Roxann), and Randall John Forbush (Molly); ten grandchildren: Jason Forbush (Lori), Aimee Roberts (Jeremy), Scott Forbush (Tracy), Steven Forbush (Natalie), Troy Forbush, Holly Rasmussen (Russell), Molly's girls, twelve great-grandchildren, and two sisters: Joann Dahn and Marjorie Wagstaff.
A celebration of her life will be held at Larkin Sunset Lawn 2350 E. 1300 S., SLC, UT, 6pm to 8pm, Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018
