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Suzanne Clara Christopher Jordan Engstrom
4/13/2022
Suzanne Clara Christopher Jordan Engstrom recently removed herself from her Earthly experience on Wednesday, April 13th in The ICU of DeLand’s Advent Hospital. Her Spirit continued on to join those who preceded her, including her mom, Mildred Christopher and younger brother William Christopher, along with her aunt and uncle, May and Richard Van Dyk.
Suzanne was brought to life in Patterson, New Jersey on the 24th day of September in 1932. Following her youngest years in Ramsey, her family moved to Beach Haven on Long Beach Island, where she completed High School at Barnegat High. Suzanne was proud of her four-year letters in basketball and cheerleading.
After an abbreviated period of training to follow her mother and grandmother’s carriers in nursing, Suzanne instead joined the United States Airforce during the Korean conflict. While stationed at Scott Airforce base in Illinois, she met and married her first husband, Robert A. Jordan. Suzanne was Honorably Discharge the 3rd of February 1953.
Bob and Suzanne had their first two children, Richard James Jordan (Memphis) and Suzan Jayne Joiner (DeLand) in Cleveland, and their third, Christopher Wade Jordan (DeLand) in Columbus before heading South. They had their fourth, Marybeth Schmale (Paisley) in Orlando before settling in Tampa to raise their brood. Besides the occasional stint as homeroom mother, Suzanne provided additional family support with many positions in various settings, her longest and most influential as assistant to the owner of Telese Interiors of St. Petersburg.
While Bob and Suzanne’s marriage ended after three decades, an opportunity to join a lifelong friend and admirer manifested. Joseph E. Engstrom brought his true love out to California, treating her in a manner befitting that admiration. They had many wonderful years together before Joe presented with a medical condition that would bring an unfortunate end to their joy, but not before relocating to DeLand so that Suzanne would be close to at least three of her children before that end came. This proved to be a blessing as those three children were present with Suzanne at her very last moment.
It is not an exaggeration to say that Suzanne was loved by all. Nor is it an exaggeration to say that Suzanne loved a party. As a result, we have already celebrated Suzanne’s Life and eminent departure with a wake years ago, while she could still join in the festivities. So, at your own convenience, with those who knew and loved our mother, raise a toast to Joy, to Love, to our adorable mom, Suzanne.