Sue Ellen Gustine Maurer

1931 - 2022

September 18, 1931 - October 5, 2022 Sue Ellen Gustine Maurer, a remarkable and charismatic matriarch, was the mother of eleven children, grandmother of 30 and great-grandmother of 28. Born in Ellensburg, Washington, to Floyd and Loretta (Leib) Gustine. Predeceased by her sisters Joanne Brennan and Marilee (Petie) Karnofski. Sue Ellen grew up in Seattle and was an accomplished piano and organ player in high school and college. She attended Gonzaga and Seattle Universities. She married James Richardson Maurer on August 15th 1953 in Seattle. Sue and Jim had their first child shortly thereafter, and then moved to San Diego, where they had six more children.
In 1969, the family moved to Sierra Madre, where four more children were born. Sue, Jim, and the family grieved the loss of daughter Caroline in 1977. Sue's faith in God helped her make sense of that senseless tragedy. After the older children left home, the family moved in 1983 with the five youngest to Fayetteville, Arkansas. Life was interrupted in early 1987 when Sue suffered a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. She learned to walk and talk again over the next year. She and Jim retired to Tucson, Arizona in 1996. They returned to Sierra Madre in 2006 and Jim passed away in 2008. Throughout her life, Sue demonstrated sincere love for her family, her friends, and God.
Sue is survived by Steve Maurer (Annelle), Elizabeth Malkin (Rick), Joseph Maurer, Caroline Carnighan (predeceased), Margaret Lloyd (Mark), MaryRose Courtney (Tom), Thomas Maurer (Kristi), Sarah Dusseault (Chris), Katie Fletcher (Tom), John Maurer and Ben Maurer, in addition to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at St. Rita's in Sierra Madre, Saturday, October 15 at 10am.