Cathleen Alice Suess

Cathleen Alice Suess, “Kate” to her friends and family, passed away Wednesday, December 13, 2023.

She was born January 31, 1929, in Chamois to parents Walter Emil Giesing and Pearl Agnes (Townley) Giesing.  She was the youngest of four sisters, and always told us she was a little spoiled, never having to eat the vegetables her sisters had to eat.  A trait she never grew out of, never being a great lover of vegetables. However, she is remembered by her family for the many delicious meals she cooked, especially her fried chicken and chocolate chip cookies. 

Kate graduated from Chamois High School where she met her husband Harry, whom she married on October 11, 1947.  They had three children.  

Kate was a wonderful mother, grandmother, and great grandmother(grammy).  Anyone who met her knew her to be a sweet and kind woman. She would always greet you with a smile and made you feel welcome in her home.   Anyone who knew her also knew that come spring, the Cardinals better be televised.  She always had a favorite player and would let us know if he did well (got a homerun) in the game the day before. And she was not happy when they didn’t make the playoffs.   She loved to piece together and quilt very many beautiful quilts.  Her attention to detail, color, and patterns was beautiful.  She donated many of these to church and gifted many to family.  Kate and Harry had many good times playing cards and dominoes with their friends in retirement. In their earlier years, they enjoyed camping, fishing, dancing, and golfing. She also enjoyed bowling with her friends in a league.  The staff at Chamois High School always knew the “walking ladies” would be there 4-5 times a week walking their laps at the gym before their morning coffee.  After illness forced her to quit sewing and quilting, she began to put together puzzles. 

Kate moved to St. Louis for a brief time after high school to work until she moved back to Chamois to get married. She also worked for a short time for Oberman’s Garment Factory in Chamois before she married.  She spent the next 53 years with her husband on the farm in Deer Creek and in Chamois until his death on August 19, 2000. She was a homemaker for all of her married life but worked for several years as a cook at Chamois High School until her retirement. 

Kate was a member of Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Chamois, always helping with dinners and any activities that was asked of her.  She was a member of their quilting group and helped produce many amazing quilts for the auctions at the church picnics.  She volunteered at the Chamois Elementary school reading to the younger grades. 

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her son Daniel, her sisters and their husbands, Alverda and Pete Wehrsten, Ruth and Buck Theissen, Betty and Ernie Ellis, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Ruth (Suess) and Ben Gentile, one nephew Glen Wehrsten and one niece Lisa Ellis Whitmire. 

She is survived by two sons Douglas (Nancy) Suess of  McKinney, Texas and Ted (Marla) Suess of Wardsville; seven grandchildren, Chris (Will) Gussie and Tom Suess of McKinney, Texas, Jason Suess, Diana Suess, Andy Suess (Stephanie Valenzuela) all of Jefferson City, Janet (Keith) Prenger, of Toas and Jessica Suess (Jonathon Imhoff) of Wardsville, six great-grandchildren, Lillian Gussie, Abigail Gussie, and Dean Gussie of McKinney, Texas,  Leah Prenger, Macy Prenger, of Toas and Wyatt Suess of Wardsville; and a daughter-in-law, Sharon Suess; as well as many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 16, 2023, at Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Chamois.  Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:00 a.m. with Fr. David Means as the Celebrant.  Inurnment will be held at the Deer Creek Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made to Deer Creek Cemetery Fund or the American Heart Association.