Susan McCutcheon

Susan Marie McCutcheon, 74, of West Nanticoke, passed away peacefully on Jan. 19, 2026, after a month in the hospital. I asked the LORD if it was time, HE said come home.

Born in Nanticoke on June 15, 1951, Susan was the daughter of the late DeLong Thorne and Eleanor (Johnson) Thorne. Her father was a truck driver in her youth and she and her family lived in many states; Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and finally in Pennsylvania, settling in Shickshinny. She graduated from Northwest High School, Class of 1970, where she sang in the chorus and went on to sing in the district chorus in Wyalusing. She also teamed up with classmate Pam Fink and sang duets in the area.

After high school, she worked at Social Security, then at Grant City in the Hanover Mall until its bankruptcy. She then worked for Kmart, also at the Hanover Mall, first on the floor and later as the manager of the restaurant. She gave up that position when her son came into her life. Later, she went back to work and started college. She graduated from Luzerne County Community College in 1993, with a specialization in word processing. She worked for a few law firms, a greeting card company, and CVS.

Susan was also a lay speaker and preached at Central, Firwood and Bennett-Derr Methodist Churches. She loved doing this and also taught Sunday school, vacation Bible school, worship chair, and volunteered at the church dinners until a back injury made it too difficult. She enjoyed Bible study on Tuesday nights and adult Sunday school in the morning. She was also an elected auditor for Plymouth Township. Later, she was a voting machine worker in Plymouth Borough. In 1980, she was a member of United States Bowling Congress of Wyoming Valley Handicap Championship Team. She supported her husband when he coached Little League and played softball.

Susan would always help anyone in need, going out of her way to help a stranger. She had a smile for everyone. She would start a conversation with anyone, especially if there were children with them. She just had a way with little ones. She always wanted a dozen, but God had other plans. In March 1987, she and her husband adopted their son Aaron, who was six months old at the time. The day they picked him up at JFK, her husband could see the love in her eyes.

She loved gardening and planting flowers (real & artificial), shopping, Martz day trips, and going to the movies with her hubby. Susan also enjoyed going to Music Box, Little Theatre, and the Kirby Center. Dinner at Ollie's and breakfast at Morris' Restaurant on Sunday was required, and a Saturday night out with friends and/or family for pizza was necessary.

Susan loved the Lord and tried to follow in his path. Through the good times and some of the not-so-good times, she trusted in HIM. "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in GOD, believe also in ME." John 14:1; "And GOD will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:4.

Susan is survived by her husband, Gary; her son, Aaron, and his fiancé, Annette Yoo; brother, Thomas Thorne (Cindy); sisters, Catherine Thorne; and Linda Jean Osborne (Robert); sister-in-law, Linda Ann Thorne; as well as aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins, and many friends. Also waiting for her are fur babies, Bo Derek, Princess, Thierry Henri, Duchess, and Kitzie.

Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday in Central United Methodist Church, 65 Academy St., Wilkes-Barre. Pastor Joseph Ewoodzie will be officiating. A viewing for family and friends will be held from 9 a.m. to the time of service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Central United Methodist Church.

Arrangements were entrusted to the Daniel J. Hughes Funeral & Cremation Service, Wilkes-Barre.