Sue Ann's obituary was published in late August in the Fulton County Expositor and the Archbold Buckeye. Here is the text:

Sue Ann (Ray) Nofziger, 68, died on June 2, 2015, in hospice care in her Vernon Hills, Ill., home following several years of treatment for metastatic breast cancer.

Her daughter Tara Nofziger and her brother James L. Ray survive.

Her parents and her brother Arthur preceded her in death.

Sue Ann was born on May 16, 1947, to Mark Ray and Miriam (Hannewald) Ray, and spent her childhood years in Pettisville.

She married John Nofziger, and the couple took up residence in Flint, Mich., and later moved to Durand, Mich., where Tara was born in 1976.

Sue Ann divorced John around the year 2000.

Sue Ann was a dilettante at heart, drawn to numerous crafts and interests. Her extraordinarily fancy, beautifully themed birthday and special occasion cakes were legend among friends and family.

Those who knew and loved her appreciated her offbeat and disarming sense of humor, expressed at the most unexpected, yet opportune times.

Even during her illness, Sue Ann never lost her ability to quip or make an outlandish, amusing comment.

Sue Ann was very clear about what she wanted after she died. Typical of her unconventional style, she did not want a formal funeral service.

There is an online memorial to honor Sue Ann’s life. You can view photos, read stories, and leave a tribute if you wish, at http://www.forevermissed.com/sue-ann-nofziger/.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The fundraising page can be found at http://www.stayclassy

Sue Ann was, as she always was, very particular about her wishes for what should happen after she died. She wrote Tara a (3 page!) letter with her requests with all of the details and several funny details. Here's a summary of what is planned:

There will not be a funeral. This was Sue Ann's desire...and, as an introvert whose friends and family are spread far and wide, Tara's preference is the same. This memorial site will serve as a way for all of us to honor her legacy, share good memories and condolences.

Sue Ann has been cremated and her ashes will be split and placed in two locations at some point in the future. She will be buried with her family in a cemetary in Pettisville, Ohio, and she will be planted as a pine tree (in a Bios Urn) in the woods near Traverse City, Michigan.

Lastly, she requested that a tree be planted in Pettisville, Ohio. No specific plans have been made for this yet, but we're working on it!

Sue Ann's later years were marked by her battle with cancer (though she didn't like to call it a battle). She was first diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer in 2000, was treated and spent 5 years with "no evidence of disease". In January 2006, she was re-diagnosed with Stage IV/Metastatic breast cancer.

In 2007, she moved from Okemos, Michigan to Round Lake, Illinois to be closer to Tara so that Tara could help care for her. She lived in Round Lake until 2014, when she needed more in-home support and moved to a retirement community in Vernon Hills, Illinois. She lived in this last apartment exactly one year to the day until her death on June 2, 2015.

In those ensuing years, Sue Ann and Tara made many wonderful memories together. Some of Tara's favorites include the following, many of which are included in the photo gallery.

Trips to the Pacific Northwest and Napa Valley with just Tara and Sue Ann.

A trip to the Outer Banks, N. Carolina with Tara and the Heiples, and Julie and Adia Menna.

Several symphony performances

Drives and walks along the shores of Lake Michigan

Many, many wonderful meals...most of which involved beef in some form or another!

Too many other wonderful memories to list here.

After high school, Sue Ann became engaged to John Nofziger and moved to Flint, Michigan. In Flint, she attended community college and became a dental hygienist and then married John.

In the 70s, they built a house in Durand, Michigan and had me (Tara) where they lived until the 1990s.

In that time, Sue Ann's focus was raising Tara and going back to get her degree in Early Childhood Education at University of MIchigan - Flint. Unfortunately, her health was already poor enough by the time she graduated in the early 90's that she never taught.

Sue Ann and John divorced around 2000, and Sue Ann moved to Okemos, Michigan where Tara was living and going to school at Michigan State University.

(I've included several pictures from the Flint and Durand years in the gallery.)

Sue Ann Ray was born on May 16, 1947 in Fulton County/Wauseon, Ohio to Mark Ray and Miriam (Hannewald) Ray. She had two older brothers, James and Arthur.

School was a big part of the family's life as her father was a teacher and the principal of the local school in Pettisville, and her mother was the school secretary. (Which explains why their granddaughter Tara grew up thinking all school principals and secretaries were married!)

Some of the fond memories Sue Ann told her daughter about these times include...

Playing with her brothers on a farm (her grandmother's??).

Being a majorette and marching in parades.

Volleyball games with her cousins

Going to a cabin on a river in Michigan during the summers

Being on the homecoming court (though she always wished there had been a homecoming dance or prom, which was not allowed on account of all the Mennonites in the area).

Making, and eating huge piecies of, her first cakes (fancy decoration came later!)

The desk that her brother Arthur made, that was in her home for her last years and is now in Tara's house.

(I've included photos related to some of these memories in the gallery.)