Memories of my dear, stylish, organized, fun loving Auntie Sue—I
miss her.
I have many memories of Sue that are intertwined with Uncle Stuart, Beaver
Lake and love of fun times with Larratt cousins. I think we all share many
childhood memories. We were fortunate that Jenny and Will and then Frank
and Sadie found a lovely spot to raise and nurture their families. —I always
longed to be there. — In the late 80’s Jeff, Brian and Ellen and I began
staying at Meadowlawn on Prior Lake—this was Jeff’s Grandfathers summer
home—it was really a family compound. there was a large house which had
been his grandfathers and several smaller cottages. We spent 15 summers
there as companions for Jeff’s great Aunt. One of the first years Sue visited
—I think she had been at a reunion of St. Olaf friends ? not sure. anyway I
was very pleased to show her the place. “Sue I have found a Beaver Lake
for my children” —there was space to roam,a fresh lake to swim and sail in
and steady stream of cousins to play with.—The day Sue visited we had
walked to the large house and then down to the lake towards laughter. Much
to my surprise and Sue’s , Jeffs’ cousins were swimming “au natural” we
turned and left embarrassed. For years later we would tease each other and
ask if either of us had been to a nude beach lately! She was a good sport.
When I was a little girl I thought Sue was glamorous. In the office at
Morningside—Bapas house, a photo hung on the wall of Stuart and Sue
waving good bye out the back window of a car after their wedding. I
remember thinking the picture was very romantic and Sue very glamorous.
— Thinking she looked like Audrey Hepburn. —Years later she traded in all
the gowns she’d worn as wedding attire for a uniform of shorts and
sleeveless blouses! She wore them with pride as proof she was meant to live
in warm climates!.
When I was around 11? , I have a vivid memory of being in the kitchen at
the same house. Sue was describing a trip to the relatively new shopping
center near Milwaukee—Mayfair?—She had been pushing the twins in a
double stroller with Kari and Jill each walking on one side and she had Lisa
in a front pack or back pack. She laughed as she told us she felt people
were looking at her critically for having a large family so close in age. She
said she had wanted to respond “We planned them all, We want a big
Family!!!” I was impressed with her confident can do spirit.
Around the same time or maybe a few years later, Sue and Avis decided
the interior of the Beaver Lake house needed a face lift. I remember being
banished to the front porch and outside. Kari, I and others were looking into
the living room to see Sue and Avis painting, reupholstering furniture—a
complete make over. We weren’t allowed in until it was complete. An
upstairs bedroom was wallpapered with woodland creatures to entertain us
or add to the atmosphere as Bapa told magical bedtime stories.—Many
years later after Sue had settled in Ft. Myers, she put those redecorating
skills to work at 3 Crafty Ladies. I felt sorry when her time there ended with
bitterness, because during the years she worked there she was “in her
element!” We saw her there through several different locations. We’d always
stop to see her at work. It was terrific to watch her teach a craft class or help
a customer with a purchase. She was confident, made projects appear easy
and made customers leave happy! I would be surprised that she had
absolutely no interest in doing crafts once she was out of the shop. “done
that been there” and so she had. Norwegian knit sweaters a plenty. I
remembering feeling very honored when she gave one to Brian as a baby
gift.
Sue and Avis proudly shared a love of NOT COOKING! They loved
going to Perkins for years. They had cooked so many meals for so many
years they were ready to be done. But I remember many happy times at
Beaver Lake having picnics after hours and hours of swimming. For years
my favorite was “Aunty Sue’s Great Grape Salad” a recipe she submitted for
one of the Anderson-Larratt Cookbooks.
Others have shared how she was a regular part of the Anderson Sanibel
Holiday gatherings. So much a part of them that she is a line in Scott
Andersons version of White Christmas—“Im dreaming of a Tan
Christmas”——There is a line that says ...We’ll boat to Cayo Costa and get
back in time to visit with Aunt Sue....” and visit she did—she’d come back
from Wisconsin with photos and stories of all of you. She’d want to know
what we were all doing. She’d share stories of trips and the latest on Sanibel
politics or birds or being a vegetarian. She’d be a good sport and join in the
costume parties. Of course she’d be our official photographer! always
admonishing us to “watch the hands”
She met Jerry after Avis and Arvid had moved North. When I first met him
—she was so very happy. Yes, she truly cared for him but I always viewed it
as something more. She could freely talk about Stuart with him and their
happy times together. Also the challenges of caring for an ill loved one as
Jerry had loved his wife Evie (I think that was her name) and cared for her at
the end of her life. She would say over and over, I just know we all would
have been great friends.” I have no way to know whether that is true on not,
but do know it gave her pleasure to have had his friendship.
Last year in Florida I missed her. Im grateful to have had her in my life. I
smile remembering a smiling woman in shorts and sleeveless blouse walking
on the beach ready to stop when she’d see me and suggest “lets sit and and
have a talk ,lets catch up.”
Love to you all, Susan Anderson Dean 1/2/2017
