Life Legacy
Suzanne Wheeler White Koski passed away in her home on the evening of October 4th surrounded by her family.
A memorial service will be 11:00am Thursday, October 8, 2009 at the Black Hills Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Sturgis, with Rev. Brent Woodard officiating. Private family inurnment will be held at a later date.
Suzanne was born September 19, 1944 in Junction City, Oregon to Charles Leonard and Irene (Johnson) Wheeler. The family relocated to Butte Montana when she was yet a baby when her father found employment at the Anaconda Smelter. She attended Grant, Madison and Emerson Elementary Schools, and Graduated from Butte High School in 1962. As an avid horse lover and excellent rider, in 1964 she met and married William (Bill) White who shared that love and talent. The marriage lasted nearly 20 years, and to this union six children were born. Billy, Lisa, Roxie, Randy, Karen and Cory. In 1983 tragedy struck when her oldest son, Billy was killed in a car accident. A few short months later, her Husband Bill also passed and so began the second half of Suzannes life.
She attended and graduated from LPN School in Butte and relocated to Sturgis SD with her two youngest children in tow. She worked for a time at the Nursing Home and then the Fort Meade VA Medical Center. While working at Fort Meade, she decided to continue her education and went on to gain her Register Nurse Degree. She was a wonderful caregiver and advocate for her patients. In 1991 she found love once more when she was introduced to Dennis Koski. They married December 20th of that year. Together they purchased several acres and an old farm house in St. Onge and her love of horses continued. They saved many horses at auction and teased that they were a retirement home for horses. The property was sold when Suzannes health began to fail, and they relocated to Rapid City, purchasing a small acreage were they could still keep a couple of horses. She retired due to health reasons from the VA in 2005.
Suzanne loved her husband and family very much and enjoyed taking the grandkids on annual camping trips. She was much loved and will be sadly missed, though we know she is now reunited with loved ones who had passed before her and she is no longer in pain.
Suzanne was preceded in death by her first husband, Bill White, her son Billy White, Her parents, her father in law Matt Koski, one brother Tommy Wheeler, one sister Inez Crews.
She is survived by her loving husband Dennis Koski, Children Lisa White,(Lead) Roxie Johnson,(Sturgis) Randy Brown, (Butte, MT) Karen (Mick) Wolf (Gillette, WY) and Cory White(Butte MT.) and Step Daughter Krista (Kevin) Beckwith (Rapid City) Mother in law Eleanor Koski (Spearfish) sister, Isabel Yates (Butte MT) and Sister in law Joni (Carl) Foos.(Vale)
Grandchildren Jordan White, Ryann Baustadt, John Parsons, Kristan and Aubree Johnson, Anthony, Sam and Morgan Brown, Garrett and Halle Wolf, Wylie and Erica Mills, Levi, Noah, and Luke Beckwith. She was also referred to as Gramma by fellow horse afficionado Corrina Deckert to whom she was a mentor. Great Grandchildren TJ and Lexie Droppers, Taylor Brown, and Caiden Comparetto.
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Born: September 19, 1944
Death: October 4, 2009
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This memorial provided by:
Black Hills Funeral Home & Cremation Services
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