Funeral services for Susan Schott of McLaughlin will be at 11 AM, CT, Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at the Family Worship Center in Mobridge. Burial will be at the McLaughlin Methodist Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge.
Susan Lynn Schott, “Sue” age 79, went home to be with the Lord on February 15th, 2024. She was surrounded by family. Sue’s positive attitude, cheery personality, and quiet determination affected all who knew her, even through the past 15 years of enduring brain tumors complications, surgeries, and the effects. If there was ever a person who was welcoming with such a kind and caring heart, it was Sue.
Susan was born in Detroit, Michigan on 11-19-44 to Lawerence and Norma (Elifritz) Paquette. Sue and her parents relocated to Lafayette, California when her father got out of the army following WWII in 1948. During high school she first worked at a soda shop serving ice cream and root beer floats. She then worked at a lady’s dress shop where she sold clothes and said she enjoyed spending the money she earned buying clothes. She graduated from Acalanes High School, Lafayette, CA in 1962 and Chico State University in 1966. She was awarded the title of “Sweetheart Queen” at Chico State in 1964.
Susan met her husband Wallace Schott while attending Chico State University and married July 23, 1966. They moved to Kansas City where she studied and graduated from the University of Missouri, earning a master’s degree in social work in 1968. They then returned to California where Susan was a Clinical Social Worker for the State of California.
In 1972, they moved to McLaughlin, South Dakota to take over Wallace’s parent’s, Jacob and Lydia, farm & ranch where they continued to grow the operation. Susan’s mother, Norma Crosett, also moved back to McLaughlin to remain close to Susan and her growing family.
Carson was born in 1970, Kara in 1974 and Justin in 1980. Her children were the light of her life. She poured her heart, soul, and love into her children. She enjoyed family time and cherished watching all their school activities, sporting events, rodeos, and including many years of swim meets. Martin Wurtz came to work and lived with the family in 1986 and his younger brother Ernest in 1989.
Susan was employed by Northeastern Mental Health, Mobridge, SD from 1972-74, and 1986-90. She worked at Standing Rock Community College in Fort Yates, ND for a tribal research program from 1978-80 and then at Indian Health Services, McLaughlin, from 1990 to 1997. She taught at Presentation College, Lakota Campus in Eagle Butte from 1998 to 2001 and served on the Three Rivers Mental Health and Chemical Dependency board from the mid 1990’s to 2009. All the while, supporting the family operation and serving countless meals for decades to the men and crews that worked for the farm & ranch.
As a woman of faith, Sue enjoyed her daily bible study and prayer. She loved sewing, quilting, gardening, canning, and preparing homemade salsa. Her rhubarb went into her famous rhubarb/cream cheese frosting cookies.
In 1993 Susan and her sister Lane created Paquette Enterprises and started selling Dakota Prairie Ranch syrups, jams, and jellies. Sue enjoyed picking, washing, and processing the fruit in the “jam shop” at the farm place and prided herself in using harvested berries from the pastures. Sue and her best friend, Sonja Dumdei, enjoyed trips to the Black Hills to deliver orders to Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Wall Drug, and other shops. They never missed stopping for lunch at the Alpine Inn in Hill City.
Susan loved to travel and cherished her adventures with Sonja. Memorable trips to England, France, Italy, Savannah, Charleston, and New Orleans were all rated as favorites. She also enjoyed family vacations to France, Monaco, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Hawaii, and Mexico.
In 2017, Wallace and Susan purchased their ‘vacation home’ in Rapid City, SD where she enjoyed spending her time managing the finances, quilting, and entertaining family and friends, especially for holidays. Sue was the accountant/bookkeeper up until this past year.
Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Norma and Lawerence.
Susan is survived by her husband Wallace of 57 years from McLaughlin; children Carson (Kelly) Schott of Reno, NV; Kara (Jon) McMachen of Spearfish, SD; Justin (Kristi) Schott of Loretto, MN; her “adopted sons” Martin (Diane) Wurtz & Ernest Wurtz of McLaughlin; grandchildren Tyler (Carissa) Richardson, Tara (Nikolai) Cox, Emma & Evan Schott, Skyler McMachen, Brooklyn Flemming; Weston, Wyatt & Will Schott, great-grandson Bridger Richardson; one sister Lane Yager, Ione, CA; and niece Blair Yager (Patrick)
When I was trying to find people for the last reunion, I had the most delightful phone conversation with her. From being a suburbanite growing up in Lafayette, she had adapted beautifully to being a farm wife in VERY rural South Dakota. She was organizing the food and other support for a team of workers who were coming in to do something with the animals on their ranch. As you can see in the fulsome obituary posted above she also had had a distinguished career as a social worker in the county. They must have been so grateful to have someone with her character and credentials which are hard to come by in rural areas, as I know from my own experience. I wish I had known her better! Rest in peace and rise in glory, Susan.
Marilla J. Watts (Whitney)
Susan Schott of McLaughlin, South Dakota
November 19, 1944 - February 15, 2024
Funeral services for Susan Schott of McLaughlin will be at 11 AM, CT, Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at the Family Worship Center in Mobridge. Burial will be at the McLaughlin Methodist Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge.
Susan Lynn Schott, “Sue” age 79, went home to be with the Lord on February 15th, 2024. She was surrounded by family. Sue’s positive attitude, cheery personality, and quiet determination affected all who knew her, even through the past 15 years of enduring brain tumors complications, surgeries, and the effects. If there was ever a person who was welcoming with such a kind and caring heart, it was Sue.
Susan was born in Detroit, Michigan on 11-19-44 to Lawerence and Norma (Elifritz) Paquette. Sue and her parents relocated to Lafayette, California when her father got out of the army following WWII in 1948. During high school she first worked at a soda shop serving ice cream and root beer floats. She then worked at a lady’s dress shop where she sold clothes and said she enjoyed spending the money she earned buying clothes. She graduated from Acalanes High School, Lafayette, CA in 1962 and Chico State University in 1966. She was awarded the title of “Sweetheart Queen” at Chico State in 1964.
Susan met her husband Wallace Schott while attending Chico State University and married July 23, 1966. They moved to Kansas City where she studied and graduated from the University of Missouri, earning a master’s degree in social work in 1968. They then returned to California where Susan was a Clinical Social Worker for the State of California.
In 1972, they moved to McLaughlin, South Dakota to take over Wallace’s parent’s, Jacob and Lydia, farm & ranch where they continued to grow the operation. Susan’s mother, Norma Crosett, also moved back to McLaughlin to remain close to Susan and her growing family.
Carson was born in 1970, Kara in 1974 and Justin in 1980. Her children were the light of her life. She poured her heart, soul, and love into her children. She enjoyed family time and cherished watching all their school activities, sporting events, rodeos, and including many years of swim meets. Martin Wurtz came to work and lived with the family in 1986 and his younger brother Ernest in 1989.
Susan was employed by Northeastern Mental Health, Mobridge, SD from 1972-74, and 1986-90. She worked at Standing Rock Community College in Fort Yates, ND for a tribal research program from 1978-80 and then at Indian Health Services, McLaughlin, from 1990 to 1997. She taught at Presentation College, Lakota Campus in Eagle Butte from 1998 to 2001 and served on the Three Rivers Mental Health and Chemical Dependency board from the mid 1990’s to 2009. All the while, supporting the family operation and serving countless meals for decades to the men and crews that worked for the farm & ranch.
As a woman of faith, Sue enjoyed her daily bible study and prayer. She loved sewing, quilting, gardening, canning, and preparing homemade salsa. Her rhubarb went into her famous rhubarb/cream cheese frosting cookies.
In 1993 Susan and her sister Lane created Paquette Enterprises and started selling Dakota Prairie Ranch syrups, jams, and jellies. Sue enjoyed picking, washing, and processing the fruit in the “jam shop” at the farm place and prided herself in using harvested berries from the pastures. Sue and her best friend, Sonja Dumdei, enjoyed trips to the Black Hills to deliver orders to Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Wall Drug, and other shops. They never missed stopping for lunch at the Alpine Inn in Hill City.
Susan loved to travel and cherished her adventures with Sonja. Memorable trips to England, France, Italy, Savannah, Charleston, and New Orleans were all rated as favorites. She also enjoyed family vacations to France, Monaco, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Germany, Hawaii, and Mexico.
In 2017, Wallace and Susan purchased their ‘vacation home’ in Rapid City, SD where she enjoyed spending her time managing the finances, quilting, and entertaining family and friends, especially for holidays. Sue was the accountant/bookkeeper up until this past year.
Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Norma and Lawerence.
Susan is survived by her husband Wallace of 57 years from McLaughlin; children Carson (Kelly) Schott of Reno, NV; Kara (Jon) McMachen of Spearfish, SD; Justin (Kristi) Schott of Loretto, MN; her “adopted sons” Martin (Diane) Wurtz & Ernest Wurtz of McLaughlin; grandchildren Tyler (Carissa) Richardson, Tara (Nikolai) Cox, Emma & Evan Schott, Skyler McMachen, Brooklyn Flemming; Weston, Wyatt & Will Schott, great-grandson Bridger Richardson; one sister Lane Yager, Ione, CA; and niece Blair Yager (Patrick)
Marilla J. Watts (Whitney)
When I was trying to find people for the last reunion, I had the most delightful phone conversation with her. From being a suburbanite growing up in Lafayette, she had adapted beautifully to being a farm wife in VERY rural South Dakota. She was organizing the food and other support for a team of workers who were coming in to do something with the animals on their ranch. As you can see in the fulsome obituary posted above she also had had a distinguished career as a social worker in the county. They must have been so grateful to have someone with her character and credentials which are hard to come by in rural areas, as I know from my own experience. I wish I had known her better! Rest in peace and rise in glory, Susan.