Jennifer Susan Conner was born May 12, 1954,
the third child of nine to be born to Bill and Joan Conner
in the small town of Tell City in Southern Indiana. It was
evident to her parents, family and friends that Sue (as she
was to be called) was blessed with a happy, warm and pleasing
personality. Her gentle spirit and her selfless devotion to
others became apparent early in life. After spending her first
eight years of schooling in St. Paul's Elementary School,
Sue went to Tell City High School, where after adding to her
list of lifelong friends, she graduated on May 23, 1972.
Sue's care and concern for those around her was a precursor
for her gravitating toward the decision to make serving others
as a nurse her life's work. She attended Indiana State University
at Terre Haute, IN for one and a half years, moved to Bloomington,
IN, where she worked while attending Ivy Tech School and earned
a Licensed Practical Nursing Degree.
Though Sue held several different jobs, nursing remained
her first love. While going to school for her LPN degree and
after receiving this degree, Sue worked at a nursing home.
Loving her job and caring deeply about her patients, she would
occasionally ask permission to sign a patient out for the
day or weekend. Sue always treated her patients with respect
and dignity and showed them great empathy in their situation.
After returning to the Tell City area, she worked a short
while at St. Mary's Hospital in Boonville. In 1978, Sue had
an opportunity to go to work at St. Mary's Hospital in Evansville,
IN. While employed there as an LPN, the hospital offered her
financial assistance to earn her RN degree from the University
of Evansville. This, she accomplished on May 18, 1984. From
that day forward she worked seemingly from morning to night
(with a lot of nights!) touching the lives of her patients
in their time of need. After nursing at St. Mary's for 18
years, Sue took a job with Gastroenterology Associates and
worked as an RN in this office for 8 years, continuing her
life of service to staff and patients alike.
Her warm smile and kind heart helped to steady strained nerves
during trying times. She had an uncanny ability to make others
laugh and feel good in spite of the situation. During her
many years as a nurse, she was to meet and become dear friends
with many fellow nurses. Her service to the staff of doctors
also earned their respect and friendship.
After some disappointing personal relationships Sue met Vic
Vauthier, a widower, who had lost his wife to cancer. Sue
and Vic were married on July 14, 1986. Although Sue loved
children and desperately wanted a family, this was not to
be. Sue and Vic had a happy 18 year marriage during which
they participated in the foster child program, providing a
loving home and encouragement to the children placed in their
care.
Eventually, Sue had 18 nieces and nephews and worked diligently
at being a second mother to each and every one of them. They
all dearly loved Sue and enjoyed countless experiences with
Sue and Vic which the children will cherish forever. She was
the "favorite Aunt" to all the nieces and nephews.
She loved them as her own. She made them laugh, starred in
many home-video presentations, listened patiently and always
wrapped them in her famous hugs. Sue was always willing to
laugh at herself and taught by example the joy of shared laughter.
At family gatherings and visits with her many friends, Sue
was quick to express her love and appreciation to her God
for the many gifts that she and her family members had been
blessed with. She deepened her love for Christ through the
Christ Renews His Parish (CRHP) retreat experience at Holy
Redeemer Parish and recognized God's help in getting her through
tough times, never hesitating to express her gratitude.
In later years, Sue spent many hours with and caring for
a sick and dying aunt. She was always quick to help others
in need and always treated them with unwavering respect and
dignity. If anyone ever understood what it meant to see Christ
and God's work in everything and everyone, it was Sue. She
was quick to love and slow to judge.
Sue and Vic's many plans for their future ended with their
senseless and tragic deaths on March 17, 2004.
Sue was laid to rest in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Tell
City, IN. The three joint memorial services and funeral were
attended by over 2000 people with the family receiving hundreds
of letters and condolences honoring the lives of Sue and Vic.
Moved by the extent of the expressions of sympathy, we, her
family began to seek out ways to honor and remember Sue's
life of service. We will never cease grieving over this senseless
loss, and request and welcome your prayers for Sue and Vic.
Further, it was decided that the best way we could honor and
remember Sue was to help establish a scholarship fund with
St. Mary's Hospital that could hopefully help other deserving
nursing students fulfill their dreams like St. Mary's had
helped Sue so many years ago. This fund is open and available
to anyone wishing to contribute.
It is our hope that the establishment of this scholarship
in Sue's memory will be a means to continue her ministry on
this earth by aiding in the education of some deserving nurse
who shares Sue's convictions and vision. We know if Sue were
here she would be pleased by these efforts and would bless
each recipient of these scholarships with one of her legendary
hugs, hoping that they would be bolstered in their pursuit
of service to others, to which Sue dedicated her life.
We end this short biography of Sue's life, as told by her
father and mother, with a message for our darling daughter
and sister.
"Sleep well, dear Susan, you have earned your rest!
Know that our love for you reaches across time and space and
heaven and earth, and will continue to do so till we all join
you in your heavenly home! We love you"
