Thelma Susich

Thelma S. Susich, daughter of Charles E. Willis and Theresa Schenk Willis was born December 1, 1914 in Parkston, South Dakota and died on April 21, 2006 at the home of her daughter and son-in-law Karen and Dick Galiher, in Stevensville, Montana. She was 91. Her father's job required a great deal of moving and during her first 18 years, she attended 10 different schools. She graduated from Perry High School in 1934. On July 26, 1941 she married Charles Edward Susich in Albany, Missouri. The couple made their home in Perry, Iowa for over 50 years. They became parents to three sons and two daughters. Thelma worked several jobs in Perry and Woodward and then became the first woman to work at the Perry Police Department, where she worked as the police matron and radio dispatcher. She also served as the secretary/treasurer for the State Radio Operators. She was a member of the First Christian Church and the Loyal Ladies in Perry. Through the years, she was a Den Mother for Bluebirds and Camp Fire Girls. She was very active in Rebekah Lodge and the Toastmistress Organization. She was honored in 1959 by the Perry Chamber of Commerce as the Mother of the Year, and was also honored in 1998 as Senior Citizen of the Year in Stevensville, Montana. She enjoyed taking writing classes at the University of Iowa and writing short stories. Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Charles, twin sons Edward and Danny; her son Donald; her sister Gladys Willis Conley; her granddaughter Deborah Ann Walton and her grandson Ryan Michael Galiher. Thelma is survived by her two daughters: Louise Walton and her husband James of Longmont, Colorado, and Karen Galiher and her husband Richard of Stevensville, Montana; and her grandchildren: Victoria Bevington and her husband Matthew of Littleton, Colorado, and Matthew Galiher of Stevensville, Montana. Thelma always had a smile on her face and never had an unkind word to say about anyone. She loved her family and will be dearly missed.