Kenneth Weichsel (1965)

I was surprised to find that after 50+ years the news of Sue's death hit me so hard.  Sue and I were good friends through high school, but drifted appart after that and life went on.  She always had a humorous, bright, and positive personality that has influenced my life beyond our brief time together.  That chapter of our lives and times I will always treasure.  I regret not being able to reconnect as friends at the 50th reunion so we could share the stories of our lives.  Since we never became reaquainted, she will, for me, always remain "Forever Young".

I have a memory of Sue that I would like to share here.

Back in the day (1965), in South Bend, there was a large, tall, ugly, steel tower that was built on Gas Company property somewhere West of Miami Street and South of the old A&W Rootbeer Barrel on Lincolnway near Sample Street.  This tower dominated the skyline of South Bend, had Blinking red lights on top and was visable for many miles as you approached the city.  One warm summer night Sue and I (and 2 other cohorts)  climbed that tower.  We parked in the neighborhood nearby, walked to the site, breached the surrounding chain link fence, ran across the surrounding open security area and commenced to climb the structure.  There was a rickety, open mesh, pre-OSHA steel ladder that spirald up the side of the circular tower.  With no hessitation, Sue fully participated in these events.  We kept climbing, up, up, and up untill we reached the top.  While there, we enjoyed the view, took some pictures and let the adrenaline subside while we prepared to climb back down.  The return trip was uneventfull as we climbed down, ran back across the open area, crawled back through the previously breached fence and casually returned to our parked Studebaker Lark.  We had made it.  No hassels, no cops, no jail.  We cruised arround and stopped to eat before we called it a night.  This event shows Sue's sense of adventure,determination and joy of life.  The tower is gone now, just like those times when Life's Adventure was just begining. I am sad that Sue is gone.

I am sure Sue touched many lives as she passed through her life. Her Kindness and Joy will carry on in those whose lives she has touched.  I am fortunate to have shared a small portion of Life's Adventure with her.  May Sue's extended family and friends find comfort and accept my deepest sympathy for their loss. May Peace be with you always.

Ken Weichsel (class of 1965)

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