Susan Furman Clawson

Susan Furman Clawson, 64 years-old, died on May 19, 2022, in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.

Her passing followed her valiant fight with Huntington's Disease over several years. Her unwavering faith in God created her strong will to live and carried her through months of grueling challenges and treatment. Yet throughout her struggle with this incurable lethal disease, she always reached out with love and laughter.

The second oldest of four children, Susan was born on October 23, 1957, in Memphis Tennessee to Lowell and Peggy Furman. In addition to her parents, Susan was preceded in death by a sister, Laura Harrison.

Known for her contagious smile and her unwavering optimism, Susan always maintained a sweet positive demeanor. She won the trust and hearts of many, who even now are being changed by her witness of constant nurturing love and faith. Her signature gift of joy was always shown through her ever-present smiling and laughter and will never be forgotten.

While attending Watauga County High School in Boone, North Carolina, Susan became high school sweethearts with Mike. The couple both graduated Appalachian State University and married June 5, 1982, in Boone, NC. Susan and Mike traveled and lived in many places around the world while raising their adopted son, Drew. For almost 30 years, Susan lovingly taught gifted and talented elementary school children while Mike served as a Colonel in the United States Army. After both retiring in 2010, the couple, along with Drew, settled in Ocean Isle Beach, NC.

A woman of faith and the center of the Clawson family, Susan shaped their spirituality by her tireless Christian example. In her retirement, Susan, possessing a true servant's heart continued her deep love of teaching and her devotion to children by volunteering at local schools and being an Operation Christmas Child (OCC) Coordinator for Samaritan's Purse. To this day, she is remembered and recognized for being a devoted and inspirational schoolteacher for thousands of elementary students. Her efforts with OCC took her to local churches and around the world to deliver the word of God through children and the gifts of Samaritan's Purse Shoeboxes. Susan was a lot of things, a wife, mother, sister, daughter, schoolteacher, but most of all, she was loved.

Surviving are her loving husband, Michael "Mike" Clawson, COL US Army Retired; son, Drew Clawson; stepmother, Faythe Furman; brother, Lowell Furman Jr.; sister, Barbara Hall; stepbrothers, Robbie and Chris Houck.

For friends and family of Susan Clawson, there will be a memorial service at Shallotte Presbyterian Church, 5070 M.H. Rourk Drive, Shallotte, NC 28470, Thursday, May 26, 2022, at 2:00 pm. The service will be live-streamed and there is a reception in the church Fellowship Hall following.

The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to Huntington's Disease Society of America (HDSA),505 Eighth Avenue, Suite 902, NY, NY 10018 or to Samaritan's Purse, Operation Christmas Child, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607, www.samaritanspurse.org

Mike and Drew are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support. Your grace is a tribute to her memory, a memory of love, devotion, and thankfulness.

Online condolences are encouraged and may be sent to the family at www.fulwoodfuneralservice.com