Obituary of Susan Schwarten
Susan 'Porter' Schwarten, 65, of Stanchfield passed away on Saturday, September 9, 2017 at her home on Rush Lake, with family at her side.
She was born July 17, 1952 in Des Moines, Iowa to Philip and Marjorie (Hodel) Porter. Susan spent her childhood years in New Hampton, Iowa until the family moved to Aurora, Illinois where she would graduate from West Aurora High School in 1970. She went on to attend college at St. Olaf where she studied biology and first met the love of her life, Steve Schwarten. Susan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 1974 and after graduating returned to Aurora and worked for a short time. She returned to Minnesota after reuniting with Steve and attended school at the Miller Hospital in St. Paul where she graduated in the Spring of 1977 with a degree as a medical technologist.
On October 1, 1977, she was united in marriage to Steve Schwarten in Aurora, Illinois. They made their home in Cambridge and Susan began working as a medical technologist at the Princeton Hospital. In 1981, she continued her career at the Cambridge Medical Center, where she worked in the lab until 2012 when she retired due to failing health.
Susan volunteered at the Harbor Room at the Cambridge Medical Center, was an avid reader and participated in many book clubs. She was an active member of P.E.O. for 46 years, and was a Charter Member of the Rush City P.E.O. Chapter FL. She had a lifelong interest in music and sang in choirs in high school, St. Olaf and Cambridge Lutheran Church, where she also played in the Celestial Bell Choir. She recently joined Daughters of the American Revolution. Susan loved to travel and had visited Switzerland, Mexico, Spain, Morocco, Alaska, New Zealand and she treasured winter vacations to Sanibel Island, Florida. Susan enjoyed needlepoint and cross stitch, and she always looked forward to reconnecting with friends, hardly ever missing a high school or college reunion. The joy of her life was her family, and she welcomed her first grandchild to the world in January of this year.
She was preceded in death by her parents. Susan is survived by her husband Steve, daughter Jorie (Kurt) Bauerly of Milaca, son Jeffrey Schwarten of Duluth, granddaughter Grace Ellen, siblings Philip (Cindy) Porter of Lincoln, NE, Carol (Tom) Hupp of St. Charles, IL, Tom (Deb) Porter of Aurora, IL, sister-in-law Mari Porter of Champaign, IL, as well as many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Susan’s family would like to thank the nurses and staff at Cambridge Medical Center short stay services and Dr. David King and nursing staff at Minnesota Oncology for their love and care over the years.
A Memorial Service will be held at 11AM, Saturday, October 7, 2017 with visitation one hour prior at Cambridge Lutheran Church. Interment will be at a later date in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery – East Rush Lake. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Cambridge Lutheran Church, P.E.O. (Cottey College), or East Central Regional Library – Cambridge or Milaca branches.
