Susan Nusz

Susan Nusz, age 78, of Ames, IA died on Thursday, August 5, 2021 at Northridge Village following an heroic three-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. A visitation was held in Ames, Iowa on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at the Stevens Funeral Home in Ames, Iowa from 9:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.  A Memorial service will be held at 11:00 am at the same location.  A Catholic Funeral Mass will be held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Okeene, OK at 11:00 a.m. on August 14, 2021.  Visitation was held from 9:00-10:00 a.m. in the Church basement prior to mass.  Susan was laid to rest next to her husband Lawayne immediately following the service, at Peaceful Cemetery in Hitchcock, OK. 

Susan Ann Wagner was born on November 24, 1942, to parents Armin S. and Jane (Curren) Wagner in Cocoa, Florida.  She began her life in Florida, travelling the world with her parents as her father continued his career in the United States Navy.   They settled down in Arlington, VA where she graduated from Wakefield High School in 1960.  She met her soon to be husband, Lawayne, in 1962 and were married in 1963.  They spent the early years of married life in Oklahoma, then New Jersey and finally putting down roots in St. Lucas, Iowa for sixteen years.  During these years they were blessed with three children, Lara, Eileen and David.  Also, during that period, they spent two years on a family adventure living in New Zealand before returning to Iowa.  In 1986 they added Cris Salgado to the family as an exchange student daughter from Brazil.  As the children grew closer to college, the family moved to Harrisonburg, VA for five years before returning to Iowa and beginning work with the United States Department of Agriculture where she retired in 2008.

In retirement Susan enjoyed playing bridge, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren.  Northridge Village in Ames, Iowa became her home in 2017 and is where she lived until her death. 

She is survived by her daughter, Lara (Matthew) Hicok, Ames, IA, daughter Eileen (Eric) Canafax, Ames, IA and son David (Marievic) Nusz, Arnegard, ND, grandchildren Aaron Lewis, Des Moines, IA, Henry and Zoe Canafax, Ames, IA and Danielle, Ivan and Leah Nusz, Arnegard, ND and Mother-in-Law Iva Nusz of Yukon, OK and Brother-in-Law Ken (Kay) Brown of Nichols Hills, OK.  She is also survived by Exchange daughter Cris Salgado, husband Luiz Fernando Schuller and daughter Fernanda Salgado Schuller, Brazil, step-sisters Marie Nuckols, Centerville, VA and Suzanne Blevins, The Plains, VA.  Susan was preceded in death by her Husband Dr. Lawayne Nusz,  her son Stephen Nusz, granddaughter Mariel Nusz, her parents Armin and Jane, her father-in-law Henry, Sister-in-law Marietta (Ken) Brown, Brother-in-law Lonnie Nusz, Sister-in-law Donna Nusz, step-mother Mary and step-brother Michael (Marika) Sniscak, step-brothers-in-law Jimmy (Marie) Nuckols and Sam (Suzanne) Blevins.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.