Obituary for Susan "Su" Jacobs-Claussen

Susan “Su” Jacobs-Claussen Su was born on April 3, 1949, in Litchfield, MN. She was raised in northern Minnesota-Aitkin area and the Minneapolis area until she was 12 or 13. Her family moved to La Crosse, WI in the 1960’s, then to West Salem, WI. After graduating from West Salem High School in 1967, she graduated in 1972 with degrees from UW-La Crosse in History, Political Science, with an Education Major. She earned an Associate Degree in Nursing from Western Technical College in 1988, an Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2002, and a Master’s Degree in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2007. She married Ken Claussen in October of 1980. He preceded her in death in 2013. They loved traveling to the East Coast and Florida for about 2 weeks every year. They visited family in Virginia and explored Washington DC for many years. They met friends in Melbourne Beach and enjoyed watching the dolphins, right whales, seeing the launches from Cape Canaveral, and visiting Disney & Epcot. She enjoyed watching the Blue Stars and traveling to Minneapolis for Minnesota Twins games. After Ken’s death, Su traveled to South Africa—saw the “big five” and enjoyed the incredible sights. She took a two week tour exploring the WW1 and WW2 battlefields and Memorials. She saw Versailles, Anne Frank’s home, Normandy, Omaha Beach and others. She went to Ireland with her long time English pen-pal Fran. Fran visited Su for a month, exploring the Midwest, South Dakota and Lake Superior. Su worked part time as a nursing assistant for many years before becoming a nurse. She worked full time in a clerical position at UW-La Crosse, worked in the University Book Store and at Viterbo in the News Service/Development Office. After completing her nursing education, Su worked in the ICU at Gundersen Health Care for 13 years. Then worked at Mulder’s Nursing Home and the La Crescent Nursing Home. She returned to Gundersen and worked in the Hospital Float Pool for 10 years, then worked in the ARCC (Admission Referral Coordinating Center) until she retired. After completing her Master’s degree, she taught nursing clinicals for Viterbo once a week for many years. Sue was preceded in death by her husband, Ken; her parents Margaret (Jane) and Roger Jacobs; her birth parents, Marjorie Blue (Morton, MN) and Lawrence Whiteeyes (Pine Ridge ND), her sister Dorrene, her grandmother, Margaret Monson and her grandma Elizabeth “Dolly” Jacobs; aunts/uncles (Satrerlees, Herrons, and Harveys). She is survived by her twin, Maggie Blue, (Daughter Reanna (Usman) Jacobs-Ahmad; her brother Tom (Maxine) Jacobs (children Kris Hanson, Sara (Charlie) Kujak, along with Isaac, Travis, Monty, Andrew and Evelyn) her sister Dorrene’s children Barb (Greg) Roesler; Tammy (Chad) McCarthy; Laura (Eric) Veglahn and Fred (Dana) Heider and all their children. Special thanks to Lora and Mike Krall, Leda and Mike Swertfeger and family; Karen Hanson and her lifelong friends, Diane and Bob Marcou. Per Su’s wishes, there will be no graveside services. She wished to have her cremated remains interred with her mother, Margaret Jane Jacobs in Lakeview Cemetery, Aitkin, Minnesota. There will be a Celebration of Life held for Su at the Greenfield Town Hall, N1800 Town Hall Road, La Crosse on Sunday, July 3, 2022 from 1 - 4 pm.