Susan Clare (Hauschildt) Meislahn Obituary

Susan Clare (Hauschildt) Meislahn

With her three children by her side, Susan Clare (Hauschildt) Meislahn died peacefully in her home on April 26, 2020 in Eugene, OR.

Born March 18, 1942 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, “Suzie” was the daughter of Dr. James D. Hauschildt and Anna Marie Brix. She graduated from Myrtle Point High School in Oregon, then attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland, to study English and French. Later in her life, “Sue” finished her degree in Communications at Marylhurst University, a testament to her dedication and a source of pride for her family.

While in college, Susan worked as a dental assistant. Then she married Richard S. Stearns and became a new mother, while also working for U.S. Bank. She became a business partner with her husband in an insurance agency, then an Administrative Assistant for Forentco Furniture Rentals. After that, she moved to Hillsboro to raise her children, and worked in Nursing Administration at Tuality Community Hospital. She retired early at age 56 from the City of Forest Grove, and moved to Manzanita with her second husband, Edward H. Meislahn. Eventually, they relocated to a beautiful home in Green Valley, Arizona.

Susan was highly creative, and she enjoyed singing and writing, especially poetry. She adored her many pets, from guinea pigs to horses, and many cats and dogs in between. She became a “lay-minister” in her retirement, and served at her local church in Manzanita and at her Green Valley church. She was a life-long learner, and a proud member of Mensa International. She loved nature, and was an avid outdoor enthusiast and birdwatcher. She adored classical music, and this love was evident when she played her piano. She was accomplished pianist, and we will forever cherish holidays gathered around her, singing while she played. She found joy and solace in simple walks with her dogs, in her own garden, or on the beach in Manzanita. She delighted in traveling, often to savor her friend Marie’s garden in the South of France. She even rode a camel while on a trip to Egypt! Her other travels included Paris, England and Mexico. She and her husband Ed hosted a young woman that they met in Mexico, and Claudia considers Susan her “Mommy” to this day. Susan’s benevolence extended to several of her children’s friends, and her door was always open to anyone in need of comfort or guidance.

More than anything, she loved her family. If raising three children alone was difficult, she rarely showed it. She was the definition of compassion and courage, guiding her children through life with devotion, patience and love. She had a fantastic sense of humor that helped her meet life’s challenges with grace, and she taught her children how to cope by laughing at adversity, and by tackling problems with calm determination. The lesson she consistently modeled for her children will be her legacy: “If I have only taught you one thing in your lives, I hope that I have taught you to be kind”.

Susan is survived by her three children and their spouses: Tracey Anne (Stearns) Taylor and Shawn F. Taylor, Kimberly Jane (Stearns) Wriggle and Jason J. Wriggle, and Robert Spencer Stearns and Anne Chan Stearns; as well as four grandchildren: Brennan Joseph Wriggle, Alison Clare Wriggle, Christopher James Taylor and Bennett S.Y. Stearns. She is also survived by her sister, Anna Lindsay Andersen, and three nephews and their families.

Due to COVID19 restrictions, a memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please send gifts to The Oregon Humane Society at https://www.oregonhumane.org, Greenhill Animal Rescue in Eugene at https://interland3.donorperfect.net, or to any other verifiable animal rescue organization in the state of Oregon.