Susan Timmons

Susan (Lovell) Timmons, 82, died quietly Oct. 20 amid the love of her family. She was a resident at New Perspective Senior Living in Woodbury, Minn.

Susan was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain disease — progressive supranuclear palsy — about five to six years ago after moving to Minnesota from Rhinelander, Wis., where she lived for 36 years.

Susan was born Oct. 23, 1940, in Melrose, Mass., north of Boston, to N. Dana and Elizabeth Lovell.

Susan had a tremendous heart for the gentle things in life — particularly children and animals. She was a ‘big sister’ to a few young teens in need of support over the years through Kinship of the North, a mentoring program in northern Wisconsin. She taught Sunday School and even helped with afterschool programs for Rhinelander middle-schoolers for a time. She and her husband, Richard, filled out their family with rescue dogs and cats, and she was known to wean kittens from their mothers at her home after returning from the then-Rhinelander Animal Shelter, aka Oneida County Humane Society.

Susan also volunteered at Ministry Health Hospice in Rhinelander.

Before moving to the Twin Cities of Minnesota in 2015, Susan for years was an active member at Congregational United Church of Christ in Rhinelander, and had been a member of several boards and of the choir. Her joy in singing also carried over to her membership with The Nicolet Choraliers.

She spent much of her young life in Maryland, where she was educated.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Dana and Elizabeth; her sister, Deborah; her husband, Richard; and her son Mark. She is survived by her son, Robert (Vivian) of White Bear Township, Minn.; stepsons, Benjamin (Sally) of Colchester, Conn., and Andrew (Robin) of Ellington, Conn.; grandchildren Nathan of Hugo, Minn., Nicholas of White Bear Township, Minn., Patrick of Chicago, Katie of Honolulu, Hawaii, and Christina of Torrington, Conn.; step-grandchildren Stephen and Dennis of Manchester, Conn.; and step-great grandchildren, Zachary, Jonathan and Grace of Manchester, Conn.

Arrangements are pending for a memorial service at Carlson Funeral Home (carlsonfh.com) in Rhinelander, Wis.