We have had several people ask for the sermon that Pastor Don spoke on Saturday.  Here it is for those who wanted to read it:

Georgiana Susan Utrata was born in Trnava, Slovakia on January 4, 1944.  She was the youngest of three children born to her parents, Joseph and Mary.  Her brother Carl was 4 years older and Peter was 2 years. 

With World War II raging throughout Europe, these were turbulent times.  In April 1945, Soviet forces invaded Slovakia, forcing Susie’s family to flee.  They made it out in the nick of time.  Shortly after crossing the Danube with only the belongings that would fit in their car, the retreating German soldiers blew up the bridge they had just used. 

 The family fled to Austria and lived there as refugees.  Susie’s father served as a doctor in a Displaced Persons Camp near Innsbruck.  In 1948, the family was preparing to emigrate to Argentina, Susie contracted polio, however, making travel impossible.  During that time, immigration laws in the United States changed, and the family was able to emigrate here to the United States.

They lived for several years in Owosso, Michigan before moving to Chillicothe, Ohio.  There Susie’s father established his medical practice as an ear, nose and throat doctor.  In 1962, Susie graduated from Central Catholic High School and went on to college at Miami University of Ohio, earning her Bachelors degree in education. 

Susie had many fond memories of her college years and made several lifelong friendships.  She had even acquired a taste for dining hall food.  One of the delicacies served there was grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. In later years, she made sure that her own daughters grew to love them as well.

After graduation, Susie and her best friend, Jean, embarked on a European tour.  Later in life, she loved to recount the many adventures that she and Jean had on their trip. 

After college, Susie moved to Columbus, Ohio to start her teaching career.  It was in Columbus that she met her future husband, Greg Truckor.  Their first date was memorable for several reasons, not least because they saw both Aretha Franklin and Kenny Rogers.  The two quickly fell in love.  After a whirlwind courtship, Susie and Greg were married on August 10, 1968. 

Not long afterward, the young couple moved from Columbus to Chicago, and then to the Washington DC area. Along the way, Susie worked as a teacher and for Proctor and Gamble one point.  In Virginia, their first daughter, Dionne, was born.  Greg’s work as a statistician for the US Department of Agriculture took the family to Lincoln, Nebraska where their second daughter, Tarah, was born.

In 1979, Greg’s work took the family to Pennsylvania.  They bought a home in Mechanicsburg, where Susie and Greg raised their two girls and enjoyed life as a family.  When the girls got to be school age, Susie returned to work part-time as a preschool teacher at St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church.  She worked there for 24 years.  

She loved the kids and the kids and their parents loved her.  They appreciated her kindness and patience. 

At home, Susie was equally adored by her own children.  Susie would do craft projects with her daughters and take them on fun outings.  Dionne and Tarah’s friends always loved visiting because Susie was so warm and welcoming to everyone.

Susie also enjoyed volunteering at her daughters’ schools, and especially loved volunteering with the Picture Lady Art Education program.

Susie and Greg would take the family on vacations to her parents’ lake house in southern Ohio.  Tarah and Dionne have many fond memories of the time they spent there, including how much Susie enjoyed boating and waterskiing.

Throughout her life, Susie’s warmth and sense of humor attracted many friends.  And her best friend of all was her husband Greg.  So she was shocked when Greg was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1995.  She and the girls were devastated when he passed away shortly afterward at the far-too-young age of 53.

With the love and support of her daughters, extended family and friends, Susie gradually made her way through the grieving process.  Family, friendship and faith carried her through those difficult days.

Susie was thrilled when Dionne married Mark Johnston in 1999 and then when Tarah married Bill Morelli in 2005.   Susie was overjoyed when she became a grandmother in 2005 when her first grandchild, Riley was born.  She was equally thrilled when three granddaughters came along, twins Caroline and Izzy in 2007 and Cecelia in 2011. 

Susie enjoyed being a grandmother every bit as much as she enjoyed being a mother, and she made it a point to be involved in their lives.  She loved to attend their birthday parties, baseball games, softball games, dance recitals, gymnastics events and school events.  Susie always came up with fun crafts and activities to do with her grandchildren, and they were always amused when Susie would pull out her cell phone to show them funny cat videos on YouTube. 

In 2009, Susie decided to join this church and she immediately became an active.  She was the secretary of the deacons, and served on the Christian Education and the Worship Committees.   She enjoyed volunteering with the quilting group, where her outstanding sewing skills were put to great use.  She always helped with the annual Fall Faire, organizing the Christmas room.

Susie found a great community here at Silver Spring and made many deep friendships here.  Everyone appreciated her warmth and occasionally goofy sense of humor.

On top of that, she was someone with whom you could talk about anything.  She always had a smile on her face and a kind word to offer.  She would do anything to help where it was needed, always considerate and concerned for others, even those she had just met. 

During COVID, for example, Susie joined the Silver Sneakers exercise group.  She made quite an impression by hand-delivering cookies to the instructor whom she had just met.  That’s just how Susie was. 

In retirement, Susie enjoyed yearly outings with her quilting group to Bethany Beach.  She also became an avid golfer.  She loved watching golf tournaments on TV. 

Even well into her seventies, Susie was active, healthy and independent.  So, it was a great shock when she received the diagnosis of cancer this past August.

She faced it courageously, with her ever-present smile and positive outlook.  She was grateful for the support of her family and friends, and of course her beloved cat Holly, who refused to leave her side even at the very end. 

When we reflect on Susie’s life, we remember her kind and loving nature, her fun-loving and optimistic attitude toward life and the many close friendships she formed at all stages of her life.  We also think of her strong faith and her commitment to the church.