Suzanne B. Allard

Sue Allard died on September 11, 2018 in her own home with her daughter Kathie by her side. She was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in November of 2017 and chose to live the remaining months of her life on her own terms, with limited medical treatment.

Sue spent the first twenty-one years of her life being a child and a student. She was born Suzanne Bogert on June 11, 1934 in Hackensack, NJ. Her parents divorced and remarried when she was young, and she split her time between her mother, Alwilda Reeves, and her father, Abraham B. Bogert. Sue grew up along side her step sister, Jane Ferguson (Saunders). Sue attended school in New Jersey and then was the first of her family to attend college, enrolling at the University of Maine. She graduated in 1956 with a degree in Social Work, and married Gordon Allard on June 14, 1956.

Sue spent the next twenty-one years of her life being a wife and a mother. The family relocated to the Midwest for Gordon's work, finally settling in Menomonee Falls, WI in 1964. The had three children. Richard (Rick) was born in 1958, Kathleen (Kathie) in 1960, and Margaret (Peggy) in 1962. When the youngest entered school, Sue went to work at a child-care center for children with special needs, which is still in existence today as the Children's Community Center in Menomonee Falls. Sue went on to get her Master's degree in school psychology from the University of WI-Milwaukee. Sue and Gordon divorced.

Sue spent the third twenty-one years of her life as a professional woman. She finished raising all three children in the family home, sent them all off to the University of WI-Madison, and worked in West Allis Public Schools as a School Psychologist. She adopted a series of border collies, which she walked with twice per day. Sue cared for her mother and step father, Nestor Bilas, until they required assisted living level of care. Sue retired in 1997 and moved herself and her parents to Moscow, ID.

After losing all four of her parents within eighteen months, Sue announced that she was going to spend the final twenty one years of her life being the "retired eccentric matriarch" of her family. She quickly became involved with the community, serving as a board member and volunteer for the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse (UUCP). She also gifted her time to PCEI, first grade reading, and the Moscow Mentor Program. Sue was a master gardener and a gifted quilter and knitter. She drove her grandkids to many orthodontic appointments and gymnastics classes and adopted one final border collie mix. Sue never lost her love for reading, the flowers in her yard, and watching the birds.

Sue was preceded in death by her parents, all of her border collies, her daughter Peggy, and her step sister and closest friend, Jane Ferguson. She is survived by her children, Rick Allard of St Louis, and Kathie LaFortune of Viola, ID. Her grandchildren, Emerald Lafortune of Salmon, ID and Jasper LaFortune of Denver remain as well. There will be a celebration of Sue's life at the UUCP on Sept 29, 2018 at 1:00 pm. The family requests that in lieu of gifts or flowers, donations be made to the Learning Greenhouse at PCEI.