Susie Ellen Graham

Susie Ellen Graham, daughter of William Tidwell and Barbara (Clibon) Tidwell, was born May 12, 1938, in The Dalles, Oregon. She departed life January 6, 2025, in Springfield, Missouri, at the age of 86 years, 7 months, and 24 days. 

On November 8, 1957, she was united in marriage to Joe Graham and to this union three children were born: Beverly Sue (Sis), Richard Joe (Rick), and Sandra Bernice (San).

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Joe; son, Rick; great-granddaughter, Kelsey Stacy; and sister, Myra Douglas.

Susie is survived by her daughters, Beverly Stewart of Mountain Home, Arkansas, and Sandy Whitney and her husband, Bob of Pleasant Hope, Missouri; grandchildren, Amanda Stacy, Ryan Stacy and his wife, Annetta; great-grandchildren, Michael Phillips, Hunter Munden, Hailey Stacy, Chloe Stacy, Remington Crawford, Ella Crawford, and Reagan Stacy; sisters, Joanna Haynes of Memphis, Tennessee, Mary Goss and husband, Carl of Ava, Missouri, Lenora Downing of Carthage, Missouri, and Donna Reed of Miller, Missouri; many nieces, nephews, and other relatives and many, many friends.

Susie was born in Oregon and moved with her family to Protem, Missouri, in the mid 1940’s. The family moved to Ava, Missouri, and she graduated from Ava High School in the class of 1956. After Susie and Joe were married, they moved to Mansfield, Missouri, where they raised their family. She worked for an attorney in Ava before becoming the elementary secretary at Mansfield Schools. While there, her love for the kids was easily detected. She was encouraged by the principal to go to college and get a teaching degree. She attended Drury University where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. Susie began teaching 5th grade at Wilder Elementary and continued to further her education at Drury. Earning her Master’s Degree in Education from Drury University was one of the achievements of which she was the proudest. Susie retired from full-time teaching in 2004, after 35 years from Mansfield school district. She had a true passion and love of teaching. She truly loved the kids and loved learning. After retiring, Susie was a substitute teacher for several years. 

Susie had made a profession of faith in Christ many years ago and had been a member of the Mansfield First Baptist Church for many years. Susie made sure that if the church doors were open, she had her kids at church. Over the years she was a faithful member of Brushy Knob Church in Brushy Knob, Missouri. She was a current member of Cornerstone Freewill Baptist Church in Mountain Grove, Missouri. Susie loved going to church on Sunday morning and night and on Wednesday. Her Cornerstone Church family was a true family to her. She would tell you how blessed she was to have the congregation and bus driver, James. Susie loved the Lord and was singing praises to God on her last days before she went to be with her Savior.

Susie was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Her family refers to her as "Mom," "Mamoo," and "Mow." Her greatest joy was spending time with her family. She had a way of making each one of her family feel special. Susie had a special relationship with her mother-in-law, Alta Graham, and she cherished their times spent together. To Susie, distance did not matter, she would drive as far as she was needed to take you somewhere or to pick you up. She loved to drive and loved the time spent with family while traveling. Spending time together is what mattered to Susie. Regardless of the chore or task, she would do her best to make it something that was fun and enjoyable. The glass was always half full and if you tried, you succeeded, because you tried.

She was a former secretary of Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association. The first year that the Ladies Foxtrotting Class was created, Susie won first place!! She was a long-standing member of Missouri State Teachers Association (MSTA). She was always involved in activities with Mansfield Schools. She was instrumental in the group effort of tree planting when the new playground was installed at the elementary. Susie was cheerleader sponsor and cheer coach for many years, and a constant means of transportation to and from ballgames. You could always count on her to be in the stands cheering on the Mansfield Lions!

For many years, she and her family showed horses. She loved to ride her fox trotters. One of the favorite past times for the family was to take trail rides down U Highway to "Prairie Holler." Everyone had their own horse. Many precious memories were made on these adventures. The trail was never the same, but the journey always brought you back home happy and thankful, and with a smile in your heart. Being outside was one of the things that Susie loved most. She loved going for walks, picking flowers, finding pretty rocks, feeding birds, and looking for four-leaf clovers. Other hobbies she enjoyed was sewing things, from Easter clothes to pom-pom and cheerleading outfits, to wedding dresses. She was a beautiful seamstress. Susie enjoyed tatting and making one of a kind Christmas ornaments for her family. Scrapbooking was always a passion for her. She and her daughter, Beverly, attended many scrapbook retreats. She enjoyed the camaraderie at the retreats as much or more than the actual finished pages.

Other things that brought her joy included all things "red" and all things "raspberry." Everyone in the family always knew if you got something red, you better be ready to share. She loved red birds. When she and Joe would be driving and would see a cardinal, Joe would always say, "Better kiss the driver!" She believed that cardinals were good luck and were blessings. Susie made the best fried chicken! Susie loved to see new places and to be on the go. She and Joe took their grandkids, Amanda and Ryan, to Cheyenne, Wyoming, many times. She traveled to Paris with friends and she took her girls to see “Her Mountain”, which was Mount Hood in Oregon. The St Louis Cardinals was her favorite sports team. She and Joe and the family took many trips to St. Louis to see them play. What a special time for her when her 80th birthday was celebrated at Busch Stadium! You could always bet, if the Cards were not on TV, she would find them on the radio. Susie loved to take pictures, she would take pictures of anything and everyone, regardless of you wanting her to or not!! Susie loved the Lord, her family, friends, people, and life.

Words of Wisdom from Susie:

Don’t show your ignorance because someone else does.

And remember, Smiles are always beautiful.