Suzanne M. Swanson

Suzanne M. Swanson, age 76, of Green Bay, passed away peacefully on October 11, 2025.

She was born on September 2, 1949 to Gale and Betty Washburn in Marquette, MI. Suzanne was the middle of the four children, growing up in the Marquette area with her family she went on to graduate from Marquette Senior High School. And she was a bit of a wild child, getting into all sorts of mischief with her brother. Those experiences really helped to shape her into the fun and free person that she was, and gave her plenty of good stories to tell her daughter and grandkids.

As an adult, Suzanne loved her time working with the QVC shopping channel, where she was able to assist people over the phone.

Suzanne was gifted a green thumb, she had a love of all things plants and always had something growing in her home. She also loved to read, to do puzzles, to watch True Crime, to play Doctor Mario on the NES, and her cats. But the most important thing to Suzanne, was always her family. She loved the time that she got to spend with them, whether they were: watching movies, going fishing, or talking over good food. Suzanne was a great mother and grandmother, and a wonderful person to be around.

Suzanne is survived by her loving daughter, Lisa Bleakley, her grandchildren; Zack (fiancée Tiffany) Perry, Jamie (Robert) Perry, and Collin Perry, and her great-grandchildren; Samuel, and Odin. She is further survived by her siblings; Mary Anne House, Carol Etten, and Fae Hoptom, and her nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gale and Betty, her brother, Richard Washburn, and her cat, Nipper.

The Dash by Lina Ellis

I read of a woman who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. She referred to the dates on the tombstone from the beginning…to the end.

She noted that first came the date of birth and spoke the following date with tears, but she said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time that they spent alive on earth. And now only those who loved them know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars…the house…the cash. What matters is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard. Are there things you’d like to change? For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real and always try to understand the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger and show appreciation more and love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile, remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy is being read, with your life’s actions to rehash…would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?