Sue Chaussee

Sue (Robertson) Chaussee, 67, died May 6, 2017, of sudden heart failure. Rarely comfortable as the center of attention, Sue’s body has been cremated. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm Friday, May 12, at McCabe United Methodist Church, 1030 N 6th St., Bismarck, with Rev. Darrel Aleson officiating. Family will greet visitors from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm Thursday, May 11, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, where a time of sharing will begin at 7:00 pm. Celebrants are encouraged to exchange memories and stories about Sue. Burial will be a private service. Sue’s life was blessed by her husband and children, loving family and friends, a love of learning and delusional optimism. She was given ND Social Work License #11 a long, long time ago and she worked with children and their families. Improving the lives of children was her professional goal; she helped make positive differences for many. Her greatest joys, however, were being a wife, mother and grandmother. The 44 years with husband St. Jerome were filled with amazing love, laughter and kindness. Her children, Matt and Heather, were a source of great pride and appreciation. Sue often said she was most grateful she had not killed either in their adolescence.   Wearing her Grandma cape was the epitome of happiness. With her three brothers, Sue shared many adventures with the raucous Robertson clan. After marrying Jerry, she became somewhat more civilized under the influence of the Chaussee family. Sue had well known flaws - she routinely cheated at games, was too loud and sometimes “too helpful”, and could be wickedly stubborn. She had a unique sense of humor that caused her children to roll their eyes while others scratched their heads in bewilderment. Sue loved being creative: sewing costumes and dinosaur tails, making mosaics, drumming, traveling, cultivating flowers and figuring out how to hook worms without touching them. She rarely walked away from a word game. There were few challenges that she could ignore, especially the lure of a big sale with additional discount coupons. Sue was drawn to unique ideas and activities. At Christmas, she made copious quantities of “tax”, altering the recipe to match each recipient’s preferences. When her children were young, birthday piñatas were hung from the school’s basketball hoop and building gingerbread houses with graham crackers was an annual tradition. She made popcorn without putting the lid on the popper. She refined the art of falling, providing many spontaneous public performances. She loved music although not gifted with musical talents or a singing voice. Marital admissions of “You were right; I was wrong” were humorously posted on the calendar. Many thanks to all who loved me, giving my life meaning and filling my days with joy. Because of you, I have been most blessed. As she said of life, “Wow! What a ride!” Sue requested that each person complete unexpected acts of kindness and forgiveness in her memory. In lieu of flowers, Sue has requested any memorials be placed in an educational fund for her 4 winsome and exceptional grandchildren. For those that would like to make a donation in Sue’s memory, please send to: Gate City Bank, 2710 N State St., Bismarck, ND 58503. Optional donations in check form should be made payable to Jerry Chaussee.