Susan Mary King

(nee Hennen) There isn’t enough space to write the obituary that Susan Mary King deserves, nor was this enough time to have her joy in our lives. But the space she filled was so full, with so much love and kindness – and we’ll always be better for all the times that our lives were spent with Sue.

Born on July 18, 1957 to Thomas and Cecilia Hennen, Sue was the center of her family of 11 kids (this is the Sue-approved way of saying ‘favorite middle child’) As a daughter, sister, cousin, friend, or even as Favorite Auntie Sue – it’s too easy to define someone’s life based on how they served yours. All the same, ask around. She was the very best of daughters, sisters, cousins, or friends.

Mother to Chad (Sarah), Alex, Jonathan (Amy), and Hannah – Sue was the perfect blend of love, guidance, discipline, and creativity. The titular stage mom (but the good kind), traveling sports club booster, fierce defender and advocate, insistor of good grades and behavior, teacher of good manners but the right amount of sass – these kids would have been lost without her, and are strong because of her.

If you thought Sue was a good mom, you should have seen her in action as a Grandma to Bennett, Oscar, William, Judah, and Lilah. Omnipresent at every youth sports game on the calendar, constant singing and dancing partner to the sweetest little girl, regular follower of anything they did just because they made her smile, there was no keeping Grandma away from her grandbabies – and there will not be a grandbaby who ever forgets her.

A graduate of St. Mathias and Pius XI High School, and later earning an Associate’s Degree at Milwaukee Area Technical College, Sue was a lifelong learner. You see that a lot in obituaries, but it’s actually true here. She graduated college with a 4.0 average, but it took her more than a few years. It wasn’t distraction or plodding – she just kept taking classes that didn’t support her degree requirements. She chose them because they interested her.

A long-tenured paralegal and property manager (Kahn & Flynn, Flynn & Associates, Colby-Abbot Building) Sue was an exceptionally detailed, dependable, and accomplished professional. What industry honor did she earn in 2007? The Unsung Hero Award from the Wisconsin Law Journal, of course. The real honor was a career of impact, friendship, and earned respect.

Truly the King of friendship, Sue was blessed with a circle of friends – near and far – throughout her life. Constant companions in good times and bad, this crew of troublemakers traveled the world and left no adventure unexplored. Reading the standard resume of a kind and creative person, you’d find Sue King on the masthead. A foster mom, active volunteer, 5:00 am workout warrior at the local YMCA, a retired triathlete and avid reader, fluent in Spanish but never a great driver – it is a wonder that any day could contain all of Sue’s ambitions.

Even still, you’d never find a shortage of hosting duties on Sue’s day planner. Homespun spa days, cast parties, girls’ nights out (or in), ice cream socials, random and all-too- regular sleepovers; as much as Sue filled the world with joy, her house was always full with friends and family. (It took a lot of mandatory Saturday morning cleaning, every week, without exception, to make this possible.)

At every step, every journey, every challenge, every sorrow, and every moment was her husband of 29 years, Marty. Equal parts partner and complement, love and friendship, Sue and Marty built a life of generosity and happiness together. For all their partnership gave us, it will always be the example from which we learn and hope for each other.

Sue often reminded us that “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.” We’re crying today because we miss you, Sue. We’ll laugh every day after because we love you forever.

Visitation to be held Sunday, October 18, 2020 at Krause Funeral Home, 12401 West National Avenue, New Berlin, from 12:00 PM to 1:45 PM. Memorial Service at 2:00 PM. Livestreaming of service available on the funeral home website the day of service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift in Sue’s honor to

the Jewish Community Food Pantry (or the local food pantry of your choice),

or the Wisconsin Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.