Suzanne "Suzie" WITHEY

1964 - 2023

We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Suzanne "Susie" Withey. Susie was born February 27, 1964, in Dos Palos, California, and passed away on September 2, 2023, at Sacred Heart after a long journey with metastatic breast cancer. Susie is survived by her best friend and loving wife, Anne Stanek; her mother, Marie Gomes (George Gallichio); her beautiful and devoted sisters, Michelle Shaeffer (Tim), Sherrie Moss (Craig), Laurie Mulliniks (Gary), and Danielle Fagundes (Jason); two nieces and nephews and two great-nephews. She is also survived by her beloved aunt Debbie Withey, who was always there for her; her uncle David Withey; and her loyal, long-time friend, Michelle Hooper. We are also thankful for the enduring support of her mother-in-law, Donna Stanek (Noel), and her father-in-law, Bob Stanek (Carolyn). She was preceded in death by her aunt Pat Bettencourt; her friend of over 50 years, Jeannie Collins; her cousin Deana Holt; and her beloved Maltese, Olive and Henry.

Susie served honorably in the U.S. Army and was proud of her service to her country in both the military and law enforcement. She earned her bachelor's degree in criminal justice at Fresno State University. Susie always had a smile on her face and handled her diagnosis with grace, no matter how difficult, sad, or frightening her cancer journey was. She never felt sorry for herself or complained; she always said some people had it worse than her. She was kind-hearted and generous, but strong-willed and assertive, and she never shied away from sticking up for herself or others who were being mistreated. She believed in giving back to her community and was a strong supporter of her local food bank and animal shelter. Susie loved living this life and had a great sense of humor, a quick wit, and a passion for politics. She was fiercely loyal to her loved ones and friends and loved all things California, especially the San Francisco 49ers. She enjoyed her life and home at Loon Lake and took pride in her pristine lawn.

Our family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Saritha Thumma at Cancer Care Northwest for the gift of extended time with Susie. Dr. Thumma's brilliance, sweet demeanor, and sense of humor gave Susie many more wonderful years of life than our family initially anticipated. Susie loved Dr. Thumma and her staff, especially Elaine, Nicole, schedulers Barb and Heidi, and all the chemo nurses that she got to know through the many years of cancer treatments (especially Laura, Jan, and Day). Their kindness laughs, and familiarity made going to endless appointments and treatments so much better. We would also like to recognize Paula at CCNW for her compassionate assistance during this journey. Everyone at CCNW who walked this path with us for the last 6+ years made this terrible diagnosis easier and more bearable than we ever could have imagined. Although we are heartbroken at the loss of our beautiful Susie, we are thankful she did not have to endure further suffering.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Loon Lake Food Bank, the Spokane Humane Society, or Triple Negative Breast Cancer research. A Celebration of Life will take place for Susie on Saturday, September 23, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Hennessey Funeral Home on Division Street in Spokane, WA. A small reception will follow Susie's celebration. Please visit www.hennesseyfuneralhomes.com to leave your condolences on Susie's online guestbook.