SUSAN KAY MACKENZIE

SUSAN KAY MACKENZIE June 20th, 1949 - July 23rd, 2024 Susan Kay MacKenzie , 75, passed away peacefully on July 23rd, 2024. Susan was an amazing bright light in this world, and she shared that light as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, teacher, and friend. She was born to Robert L. and Emeline Morrissey on June 20th, 1949, in Syracuse, NE, sixth born right in the middle of her group of 11 treasured siblings. She graduated from Syracuse High School in the class of 1967 and went on to her gain her undergraduate degree in Education at Peru State, 1971. Her career as a teacher began in a single room farmhouse school leading to an extensive career with Fremont Public Schools where she loved her students dearly, retiring after 35 plus energetic years. As Sue often quoted, "To teach is to touch a life forever." She truly believed this and was most proud in her career of the many accolades she received from her former students. She spent much time outside the classroom mentoring current and former students and spoke often of the joy this brought to her life. Sue loved music, singing, and her ever clever puns. If there was a song to be sung, Sue's was the first voice you'd hear. She spent much time supporting her kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews in their various activities and was in the stands cheering whenever she could make it. She loved the Nebraska Cornhuskers and supported them in the best and worst of seasons. Her boundless positive spirit and energy has been greatly missed in her final years, in many ways stolen by her struggle with Alzheimer's, but her family and friends will remember it fondly and loved her to the moon and back. Sue is predeceased by her parents Bob and Emeline Morrissey, husband William MacKenzie, sister Rosemary Stubbendeck, brother Mike Morrissey, sister Anne and brother-in law Bill O'Rourke, brother-in-law Roger Rohlfs, and niece Julie Rohlfs. Sue is survived and missed by her children and grandchildren who loved her very much: Thomas Patton of Des Moines, Iowa; Robert (Kristine) Patton of Omaha, Nebraska; Amy (Stephen) Misterek of Minneapolis, Minnesota; grandchildren: Douglas, James, Brooklyn, Charles, and Lawson; siblings: Robert Jr. (Maggie) Morrissey, Linda Rohlfs, Dick (June) Morrissey, Carole Morrissey, Cathy Morrissey, Bill (Kelly) Morrissey, Patty (Tony) Farley, brother-in-law Harry Stubbendeck, former husband Thomas O. Patton, and almost countless nieces, nephews, and friends, especially Lori Griggs. Special thanks to the staff at Country House, Suncrest Hospice and Jessica Schaben for their caregiving assistance. VISITATION will be held at Reichmuth Funeral Home, 21901 West Maple Road, Elkhorn, NE from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on August 2nd, 2024 with wake/rosary service at 7:00 PM. CELEBRATION OF LIFE AND CATHOLIC FUNERAL MASS will be held at St. Paulinus Catholic Church, 476 Poplar St, Syracuse, NE at 10:00 AM on August 3rd, 2024. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association.