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The Gazette publishes obituaries on a daily basis. Use the search field above to search for obituaries by name or keyword. Readers can submit an obituary or submit a milestone to The Gazette. The obituary must be submitted before 1 p.m. for publication on thegazette.com at 6 p.m. and in the daily edition the next day, with the exception of obituaries for Sunday publication, which must be submitted by 1 p.m. on Fridays.
Susan Elaine West
Susan Elaine West
Mount Vernon
Susan Elaine West, 77, of Mount Vernon, passed away Monday, May 8, 2023, at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Medical Center Hospice, Cedar Rapids. Memorial services are 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 24, 2023 at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Mount Vernon. Visitation for one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Susan, the daughter of Stephen and Elaine Whipple West, was born Jan. 2, 1946, in Cedar Rapids. She grew up on the family farm south of Mount Vernon. Susan was an avid reader and life-long learner. She graduated from Mount Vernon High School in 1964. Susan attended and graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1968. She earned her master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1976. Susan worked as a dedicated librarian in the Miles, Iowa, school system and at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. Her love of horses and riding led her to attend and graduate from Kirkwood’s Horse Science program.
Susan inherited the West family love of travel and enjoyed treks to Florida, the East coast, Canada and many Western states, especially Arizona. Her most memorable trip was a six-week UNI study program to Europe in 1971. Highlights were time spent in Russia, the Vienna Riding School in Austria and study at Oxford University in England.
A life-long Democrat, Susan called herself a “political junkie” attending Iowa caucuses and always keeping up with political news. Music was another of Susan’s passions. She was a die-hard Beatles fan, attending two Paul McCartney concerts and numerous other concerts including Gordon Lightfoot and Linda Ronstadt. One thing she regretted in leaving this world is that she never owned a vintage red Ford Mustang.
Susan will be remembered by many for her intelligence and her kindness. She was open-minded, bright and truly interested in the experience of the people she encountered.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brother-in-law, John Crandell. She is survived by sister, Sandra West of Vail, Ariz.; numerous cousins; relatives, and friends.
Memorials may be made in Susan’s name to the Lisbon-Mount Vernon Ambulance Service.
Please share your support and memories with Susan’s family on her Tribute Wall at www.stewartbaxter.com under Obituaries.
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