Suzanne Nancy Valardo Beecken, 86, died at Lightways Hospice in Joliet, Illinois, on November 5, 2021.
Suzanne, who was born in Manhattan, New York, but spent much of her life in Florida, was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and aunt. She worked hard throughout her life, raising four children as a single mother. She finished her career as a nursing assistant at hospitals in Boca Raton and Melbourne. She was strong and determined throughout her life, and fought to the very end.
She loved talking NASCAR and Rusty Wallace with sons Michael and Stephen, and baseball with anyone who would listen. Originally a New York Yankees fan, she eventually came to her senses and adopted her daughter Lenore’s favorite team, the New York Mets. She also loved bingo and going to the casino to play the penny slot machines.
She was very happy to reunite with oldest son Donald and daughter-in-law Sarah before passing.
She loved animals and always had at least one. Her face lit up anytime you mentioned her daughter and son-in-law’s dog, Ozzie Osbourne, and her black cat, Lucky. She missed her other black cat, Angel, who was left in the care of good friend Emil Cygal when she left Lakeland for Chicagoland. In addition to Emil, she loved her Lakeland neighbor Kathy Phillips, who checked on her daily during the pandemic.
She passed with Lenore and Bill by her side. She was grateful to see two of her grandchildren, Sydney and Connor Devore, while in the Lightways inpatient unit.
She is survived by Lenore and Bill Devore, her three sons, Stephen (Sherry), Tucson, Arizona; Michael (Debbie), Columbia, South Carolina; and Donald (Sarah), Mayville, Wisconsin; 11 grandchildren; and two great grandchildren, as well as a sister in law, Barbara Valardo, and three nieces, Nancy, Marlene and Ellen, in New York.
A private ceremony will be held at Ponelawn Cemetery on Long Island, N.Y., next year.
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Sue and I were neighbors in Ridgefield. Ct back in the 60s. We moved to Florida at seperate times but stayed friends. We both had health issues and I moved to GA.
Still in touch but then heard she had moved to live with daughter. Shocked of news of her death. She loved her children and had her share if struggles raising them. Remember going to a bingo game witb her in Lakeland. Staying with her one night and meeting her cat she loved so much. Now she suffers no more and may
she enjoy love ones that pasted away.