Suzanne Marie "Susie" Gorrell

1946 - 2024

Suzanne "Susie" Marie Gorrell

September 24, 1946 - December 28, 2024

Suzanne "Susie" (Kordowski) Gorrell, 78, of Temperance, Michigan, passed away December 28, 2024 surrounded by her family.

Born on September 24, 1946, in the north end of Toledo, Ohio, Sue was the proud granddaughter of Polish immigrants. Her heritage wasn't just part of her identity-it was her passion. Whether meticulously tracing family roots or tackling Polish language classes, she embraced her ancestry wholeheartedly. She made three memorable trips to Poland, each time returning with pictures, stories and souvenirs. The girl from Hudson Street also traveled extensively, getting lost one afternoon in Istanbul, hearing a papal mass in St. Peter's Square, and swimming in the Caribbean with stingrays among the high points of her adventures.

Susie spent her happiest moments on the lake and at the pool, swimming, water skiing, and soaking up the sun. Her family dubbed her "Jetski Sue." A devoted advocate of a good tan, she instilled in her daughters the importance of achieving a solid "base" long before anyone heard of SPF. She could often be found enjoying long walks through Value City or TJ Maxx, where she combined her impeccable fashion sense with her unmatched ability to find a good deal. Always chic, she cut a slender figure whether she was running errands, or cheering on her grandkids at their concerts, plays, and sporting events. Some of Sue's best fashion tips:

Never wear v-necks, nobody wants to see your turkey neck;

Black is best; if you must wear prints, do so sparingly;

When in doubt, just wear a turtleneck.

An accomplished singer, Sue had a strong, clear, mezzo-soprano voice that earned her a full ride to the former Mary Manse College and the spotlight as Adelaide in Guys and Dolls during her time at Central Catholic High School, where she graduated in 1964. She counted that performance as one of the highlights of her life. She also performed as Miep in a production of The Diary of Anne Frank and Mrs. Paroo in The Music Man.

In 1967, Susie married Robert Gorrell. He knew right away that she was the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. Together they built their family starting out in Toledo, then moving to Tiffin, Ohio, and finally settling in Temperance, Michigan. She was the proud mother of Rebecca (Michael) Regnier and Robin (James) Dec and a beloved Busia to her four grandchildren who will miss her fierce support of everything they did.

Susie worked as a loan officer for First Federal Savings and Loan and later Charter One Bank. In her retirement, Sue volunteered as a poll worker for Monroe County. She also delighted in taking care of her Summerfield Woods neighborhood friends with whatever they needed and greeted them with a smile as she briskly walked five miles a day, without fail! Sue had two speeds, 0 and 100 miles per hour.

She is survived by Bob, her husband of 57 years; her daughters Rebecca and Robin; sons-in-law Mike and Jimmy; her cherished grandchildren, Nick and Al Regnier and John and Anna Dec; her brother Thomas (Shirley) Kordowski; sister Mary Lynn (Scott) Streamer; and countless nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, Stanley and Cecelia Kordowski.

Mom, Busia, Sue, Susie-whatever you called her-was a force of nature who you could always count on to tell you if she liked (or didn't like) your outfit.. As we say goodbye, we like to think of her dancing a joyful polka in heaven with her dad, Grandpa Stan. Na zdrowie, Mom. We'll miss you forever.

Her family would like to extend their thanks to her wonderful caregivers at Cornerstone Caregiving who allowed us to honor Mom's wishes to remain at home during her final illness, most especially, Heather and Shante. Additionally, we would like to thank Elara Caring and Tammy for the excellent nursing care she received. These women are angels on earth.

Visitation will be from 1:00-6:00 p.m. Friday, January 3, 2025, at the Michael W. Pawlak Funeral Home, 1640 Smith Rd. (at Jackman) Temperance, MI, where a memorial service will follow at 6:00 p.m. Memorials may be made to Elara Caring Hospice.

pawlakfuneralhome.com