Susan Jackson

1950 - 2020

Jackson, Susan Kay

EAU CLAIRE - Susan Kay Jackson, age 70, of Eau Claire, passed away Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Menomonie, after a brief struggle with pancreatic cancer.

Sue was born on Aug. 23, 1950, to William "Bid" and Betty Schlotthauer in Madison. Although she would have been fine being an only child, as she would joke, she was the eldest of six children. She graduated from Memorial High School in 1968 and thereafter began employment with the State of Wisconsin, where she worked in several positions over the course of 30 years, including the Public Defender's Office, Worker's Compensation and the University of Wisconsin Family Practice Residency Program. In each of those jobs, her organizational skills and attention to detail served her well.

Sue married her former spouse, Wayne Streich, in 1973 and had two children, Angela and James. Although they later divorced, they remained friends.

Sue met her husband, Steve, in 1986 and finally acquiesced to marry him on March 22, 1996. They moved to Eau Claire in 1992, where they eventually built their dream house in the woods. For several years, they enjoyed family vacations with Angela and Jim, and Steve's daughters, Jessica and Sarah. Together, Sue and Steve traveled extensively in the United States, enjoying visiting places like New Orleans, San Francisco, Seattle and the Smoky Mountains. Sue was always up for an adventure and didn't shy away from trying things like whitewater rafting and horseback riding. Some of their favorite vacation spots were the islands of St. Lucia and Antigua, and they visited there often.

Sue thought her final stint of employment would be her 15 years of scheduling residents for the University of Wisconsin Family Practice Program, which she retired from on Dec. 30, 2009. After two years of blissful leisure, she was called out of retirement to work as Steve's legal assistant at his law firm. They retired for good together in 2014.

Sue was an avid Wisconsin sports fan, and enjoyed cheering on the Packers, Badgers and Brewers. She enjoyed bowling in couples' leagues and always looked forward to attending the womens' state bowling tournament with her lifelong friends, Vana, Terri and Barb.

For as much as Sue loved to travel, she also loved spending time at home with Steve and their dogs, enjoying bird watching from their deck, walks in the woods and evenings by the fire. True to her Italian heritage, Sue enjoyed eating and cooking Italian food, and her lasagna and chicken parmesan were family favorites. She also loved dark chocolate, which she judged by how much it made her eyebrows sweat, and the occasional glass of red wine.

Sue's greatest source of pride and joy were her children and grandchildren, and she loved hearing about their accomplishments and adventures. She cherished hosting them for weekend and holiday visits to Eau Claire, where they all enjoyed spending time together, lounging in comfy clothes and listening to Steve's jokes, while she spoiled them with her cooking and the adults enjoyed a cocktail.

In the last few years of her life, Sue's indomitable strength and spirit shined, in spite of her health issues. Sue underwent a kidney transplant in October 2019, with her daughter Angela as her donor, and a heart procedure a few months later. She remained positive and hopeful and was a rock for her family. Through it all, she never complained, and her infectious smile that could light up a room never waned.

Sue is survived by her loving husband of 24 years, Steve Jackson; her daughter, Angela (Greg) Kamoske; her son, James (Shannon) Streich; stepdaughters, Jessica (Ben) Bach, Sarah Jackson; and six grandchildren, Sydney, Finley, Colter, Isabel, Walter and Thomas. She is further survived by her five siblings, including her brother, Robert (Barb Knox) Schlotthauer, with whom she was especially close. She was preceded in death by her parents.

Funeral services will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020, at HULKE FAMILY FUNERAL HOME in Eau Claire, 3209 Rudolph Rd, with Pastor Tim Heupel officiating. Visitation will take place at the funeral home on Saturday from 12:30 p.m. until the time of service. Memorials may be made to the Mayo Clinic Transplant Center or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

Friends may offer condolences online at www.hulkefamilyfh.com.

Hulke Family Funeral Home & Cremation Services is assisting the family with the arrangements.