Susanne Swayze

Susanne Swayze, 87, of Hubbard Lake, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on September 5, 2026, following a brief illness.

Born on February 10, 1939, to George and Betty (Gardner) Ross in Van Wert, Ohio, Susanne grew up in Ohio City. Early in her career, she worked for the U.S. Air Force at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona and as a Medical Records Manager at the VA Hospital in Syracuse, New York. She married Theodore D. Swayze on March 12, 1960 in Nogales, Mexico.

Susanne earned her Bachelor of Science from Ohio Northern University in 1966 and a Master of Science in Guidance and Counseling from St. Francis College in 1970. Dedicated to education, she worked as a teacher and guidance counselor across several Ohio schools before moving to Hubbard Lake, Michigan, in 1978. She spent the rest of her career with Alcona Community Schools, retiring in 1995 after years of helping to support and inspire students both within the school and the community.

Outside of work, Susanne loved taking her grandchildren on adventurous trips to Toronto, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Disney World to broaden their horizons and cultural understanding. She was an avid reader, a frequent visitor to the Alcona County Library, and spent many happy years traveling and camping across Michigan and the country with her family and her beloved dog, Jenny.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Theodore, in 2003 and her sister, Rebecca Counsellor in 2024. She is survived by her daughter, Shawn (Gailen) Thornton; her son, Steven Swayze; her grandchildren, Alexander Silver (fiancée Cara Scozzafava), Lauren (Jeremy) Silver-Turner, and Taylor Swayze; and her brother-in-law, Richard Counsellor; nephew, James Counsellor; and niece, Kelly (Craig) Chunchick.

A private family burial and celebration of life will be held at a later date.