Susan L. Decker

Susan Louise Decker joined her loved ones, who preceded her in death, on November 15^th   after an unexpected illness. She was surrounded by her family during her last days, and they will be forever grateful for the time spent with her.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00am, Tuesday, November 21, 2023 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, with a luncheon immediately following.  Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00pm, Monday, November 20, 2023 at Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home.  Per her wishes cremation rights have been accorded.  Memorial contributions may be made to the following charities – The Trevor Project, Kings Harvest, and the U of I Children’s Hospital.  

Susan was born and raised in Durant, Iowa on November 6^th, 1941 with her identical twin sister and 4 siblings, all of whom have preceded her in death. She attended the University of Iowa, receiving her degree in education, and began her teaching in Camanche, IA. It was nearby, in Clinton where she met her husband, Bill Decker. They were married on October 3rd, 1964 and had three sons: Jeffrey, Thomas, and Michael. Being home with her young sons was important to her, so she stayed home to raise them for 8 years before returning to teaching. Soon thereafter, Susan sought and achieved her Master’s degree in remedial reading in 1976. The remainder of her career was spent teaching middle and high school students. Susan retired at age 55 to join her husband travelling the US for his work.  She enjoyed living in new and exciting places, most especially, Glendale, CA.

One of her favorite things to do was travel. She would spend hours meticulously planning travel, insisting it “broadened your horizons”, and facilitated extensive travel with her family. Later in life, when her sons were grown, she and her husband traveled abroad extensively and were often joined by her beloved sister, Mary. Most continents were covered - it filled her heart and mind.

Susan adored her sons and made their home a welcome place for all friends, extending herself as a mentor and mother figure to all. She had such a huge impact on so many people’s lives over the years as she truly was a second mom to many! Her sense of humor, personality, and authentic approach to life endeared her to many and her influence endured for most. She will be dearly missed.

Susan is survived by her husband, Bill and their three sons (and their spouses), Jeffrey (Matt), Thomas (Gustavo), and Michael (Krista), as well as her grandchildren, Jake, Ben, and Emma.