Susan Riddle

1953 - 2019

Fletcher ~ Mom and Dad always said they were two of the most blessed people that ever walked the face of the earth. They had good parents, each other, 5 great kids, 7 wonderful grandchildren, jobs they loved, and many great adventures together. And God was with them all the way.
Susan was born June 17, 1953 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The first six months of her life she spent in an orphanage. She was adopted into the family of Joe and Dora Eckstine and sister, Marilyn and grew up in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. When she graduated from high school they sent her south to college and to find a southern gentleman. Mom met Dad (Rick Riddle) when she was a junior and he was a grad student at UNC-Greensboro. She really liked his 1974 Fiat Spider convertible. Dad says she jumped in and never got out. That's Dad's story -- Mom's was a little different.
They were married May 18, 1975. The Fiat Spider lasted until 1980 when she was nine months pregnant with their first child, Amanda. Mom got tired of pushing it off to get it started. Joe came along in 1981, Frank in 1984, Allie in 1987 and Suzy in 2006. They were and still are the joy of life. More joy came in grandchildren -- Hailey, Ricky, Jackson, Hannah, Joe, and Henry. They are all special and wonderful.
Susan was a teacher in the Henderson County School System for 22 years. She was two time math teacher of the year and ended her formal career at Dana Elementary as the lead teacher. She could not just retire so she became a tutor at Dana for several more years. She loved it and the kids loved her.
In fact everyone who knew her loved her. She was kind, humble, smart -- she never shirked a task -- always had to be early and stay late. Susan was the kind of woman every young girl hopes she will be - and every old woman wishes she had been.
The most important thing she would want you to know is that she was a Christian. She believed that Jesus died for our sins. All anyone has to do is believe and God has a home for them in heaven. Everything you lose on earth will be replaced in heaven. Don't be afraid. Live every day God gives you with zest and appreciation for his blessings. When the last grain of sand has dropped, your new Adventure begins.
And for us this is the end of Susan's story, and we can say she lived happily ever after. For Susan it is only the beginning. All her life in this world and all her adventures on earth have only been the cover and the title page. Now she begins Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read; which goes on forever; in which every chapter is better than the one before. (C.S. Lewis)
Surviving are husband of 44 years, Rick Riddle; daughters Amanda Riddle (Henry 6), Winston Salem, NC; Allison Bayer & husband Joe, Destin, Florida; sons Joseph Riddle & wife Sarah (Hailey 18, Lydia 13, Hannah 11, Joseph, Jr. 10), Baltimore, MD; Frank and special daughter Suzy (Ricky 12 & Jackson 11), Mills River, NC; Sister Marilyn Eckstine, Estero,FL; and brothers in law Randy Riddle and Mike Gregory, Alexander, NC.
A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, December 7th, 2019 at 2:00pm at Biltmore Baptist Church - Hendersonville Campus.
To place a condolence online, please visit www.grocefuneralhome.com. Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family.