Suzanne Marie Hoel of Greenbank, Washington sadly left this world for the next on Saturday September 8th at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. She suffered a minor brain aneurysm on August 23rd and while not debilitating, she developed complications in the ICU that she could not be rehabilitated from and peacefully went to join her husband that Saturday afternoon.
Suzanne was born July 18th 1940 in Milwaukie, Oregon to Floyd and Zepha Zirbel. Suzanne and her husband Jim were married October 3rd 1959 in Milkwalkie and soon after became pregnant with their first child Judy. While pregnant with their second child, Karl, the family moved from Oregon to Renton, Washington where Jim was offered a position at boeing, and soon after adopted their son Jon. The family were big local sports fans including the Seattle Sounders in the 1970s where they went to all the home games and even traveled to Portland to watch Pele in the national championships. She also loved the Seattle Mariners even if they lost more than they won. It brought back fond memories of watching her husband and kids play the sport during their younger years and always cheered them on with enthusiasm.
Suzanne worked in banking for decades which she loved. She loved helping customers and being a part of the community frequently recalling stories of customers she served when she first started back in the 1960s. She worked for several companies the first being Seafirst Bank downtown Seattle to retiring from Interwest Bank after 40 years in the industry. She held several positions, including manager and training officer for several branches and companies, always loving the challenges and people it brought into her life.
When it came time for retirement for both Jim and Suzanne, they decided to move from Renton to Whidbey Island where they fell in love with just about everything. In 1989 they bought a 24 foot trailer and property at Lagoon point where Suzanne lived for 2 year waiting for Jim to retire from Tukwilla fire department and for them to build their retirement home. Ultimately they ended up purchasing a little fishing cabin with a view down the road from their property and expanded that house instead of building from scratch. Deciding she wasn’t quite ready for retirement life just yet, Suzanne went back to work at what is now Wells Fargo in Coupeville for a few years and further dove into the Whidbey community. She also volunteered at the senior center and for the Lagoon Point water district for a few years.
Suzanne is survived by sisters Carolyn Badgley of Kent, Washington; Cindy Harris of Ocean Shores, Washington; her daughter Judy Tooley with her husband Rob of Kent, Washington; son Karl also of Kent; son Jon of Dallas, Texas; granddaughter Kristen Fisher with her husband Timothy and their two children Lily and Emmeline of Coupeville, Washington; grandsons Ryan and Lukas of Dallas; Phillip Tooley and son Isaiah of Kent; grandson Bob Tooley with wife Ashley and children Carson and Avery also of Kent. A service for Suzanne will be held October 3rd, 2018 at Trinity Lutheran church in Freeland Washington at 1:00 pm, reception to follow. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to W.A.I.F. or Trinity Lutheran.