Sue Hughes Easterling

1938 - 2019

Sue Hughes Hinkle Easterling



Sue "Susie" Hughes, passed away Monday, November 18, 2019. She was a "Christmas baby", born Sunday, December 25, 1938, in Valparaiso, IN, to Rush and Gertrude Hughes. The family moved to Raton, NM in 1948 because of her brother's asthmatic condition. Rush Hughes was a band instructor, first at Raton HS and then at Highlands University in Las Vegas, NM, where he later became an administrator. Gertrude Hughes was a teacher in Las Vegas city schools. Susie graduated from Las Vegas HS in 1956, then from Highlands University, with a Master's degree in elementary education in 1963. At Highlands University, she played in the band and performed in musical theatre. There are people in Las Vegas who still remember her as Ado Annie in Oklahoma! and as another Annie in Annie Get Your Gun. At Highlands University she met Orville "Manny" Hinkle, a fellow student who came from Virginia to attend Highlands. They were married in 1959 and Susie's first teaching appointment was at Gallinas Elementary School in Las Vegas. Soon after, both Susie and Manny broadened their horizons and became Job Corps teachers in West Virginia, Texas, and Nebraska. In 1968 they moved to Albuquerque and Susie began her 40 years of teaching in the Albuquerque Public School system. Susie and Manny raised four children. She was an innovative teacher, often teaching lessons by writing and directing original musicals. She was also a go-to poet when someone needed a farewell or a celebration poem written. Manny Hinkle died in 1997. Susie retired from teaching in 1998. In recent years, former students would often approach her in stores or restaurants and other public sites, saying "Mrs. Hinkle! Remember me! I was in that play…." Susie married Robert Easterling in 1999. They had 20 years of delightful travel and life together as Rob taught at universities from Ann Arbor to Auckland, and as they visited their widely scattered, precious children and grandchildren.

Susie was a fighter and survivor. She was diagnosed in 2015 with pancreatic cancer and she had the "Whipple" surgery in July 2015 at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Susie was preceded in death by her parents, and then by her brother, Charles Hughes in July 2019. She is survived by her sons, Jeffrey Hinkle and his wife Valerie of Clovis, NM, Matthew Hinkle and his wife, Susan of York, PA; daughters, Mandi and husband, Paul Venable of Albuquerque, NM, Heidi and her husband, Joseph Vargas of Miami, FL; husband, Robert Easterling; sons Mike Easterling and wife, Karen of Cary, NC, and Jeff Easterling of Highlands Ranch, CO; nine grandchildren, Matthew Kaltenbaugh, Tony Hinkle, Kaci Bill, Andrew Hinkle, Jason Easterling, Malia Easterling, Macy Easterling, Landon Vargas, Julian Vargas; three great-granddaughters, Evelyn Bill, Emilia Bill and Lilian Hinkle; and by loving in-laws, nieces, nephews and a host of long-time friends. Susie thanks her family and her friends and prayer-partners at St. John's United Methodist Church in Albuquerque, and Mountainside Methodist Church, in Cedar Crest, NM for their support, and her many friends in PEO and the Albuquerque Public Schools system and beyond. Friends may visit Tuesday, December 3, 2019, 5:00 p.m. â€" 8:00 p.m. at FRENCH â€" Lomas. A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, December 4, 2019, 11:00 a.m. at St. John's United Methodist Church, 2626 Arizona Street, Albuquerque, NM 87110. She will privately be rested at Sunset Memorial Park. Memorial donations in Susie Easterling's name may be made to the music program of either of the two churches listed: Mountainside United Methodist Church, 4 Penny Lane, Cedar Crest, NM 87008; St. John's United Methodist Church, 2626 Arizona Street, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87110, or to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 1500 Rosecrans Ave, Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266-3721 or pancan.org. Please visit our online guestbook for Susie at www.FrenchFunerals.com