Susan Adair Ogilvie

Susan Adair Helander Horn Ogilvie was born March 13, 1937 in Raymond, WA to Walter and Helen Helander. She grew up in Puyallup, WA from the age of 4 and graduated from Puyallup High School. She then graduated from Cotty College in Nevada, Missouri in 1957 with an AA degree and transferred to the UW where she graduated in Sociology in 1959.

She went to work for the Department of Social Health Services and after 2 years transferred to the Social work department at Harborview Hospital. While there she met her second husband, Dr. James T. Ogilvie who was an Intern. Her first husband, Dick Horn, she met while in college and married in 1960 had died in 1963 of acute Leukemia. Jim and Sue were married in July of 1964, Jim was drafted into the Army to report in Sept of 1964. The two spent their honeymoon in Norway with Sue’s relatives all over the country. She later spent 10 years studying Norwegian and made 3 more trips to Norway to speak the langue and see relatives.

Jim was assigned to Karate Thailand in the Medical Corp and their son Brandon was born in Bangkok. Sue took some Thai lessons but only spoke enough to shop. In 1965 Jim was sent to Fort Sam Houston to the Medical Services Field school to teach tropical Medicine. While in Texas their daughter Andrea was born. The family returned to Washington and lived on Mercer Island. Sue was a housewife during the children’s early years and was active in League of Woman Voters, PEO, Women’s Bible Study Fellowship, the United Methodist Church, family activities, kids sports, music and school. In 1970 the family live in Bolivia where Jim taught Medicine to students, this was a mission with the United Methodist Church.

After their return Sue spent the next year evangelizing to the churches in the district about their work in Bolivia and the needs of the people there. Several Bolivian families in need were then sponsored here by the churches.

A number of women from the church started a prayer group that still meets today, these ladies were one of Sue’s strong foundations, of strength and joy throughout the many years.

As well as the United Methodist Church as a whole. In 1982 Jim open a private Medical practice in Bellevue, at that time Sue manage the medical practice with Jim until 1999 when they both retired. Throughout Sue’s life she enjoyed many activities, driving the activity bus at Covenant Shores, singing in the church choir, cross country skiing, traveling, spinning wool, remodeling their home, family vacations, time at the family cabin with friends and family. She enjoyed attending theater and concerts, especially the ones her granddaughter preformed and stared in. One of Sue’s greatest passions was all things Norwegian, Sons of Norway group, Ballard Norwegian 17th of May Parade, in which she proudly strutted with her grandson in his Norwegian sweater and her in her full dress Bunad. A particular highlight for Sue was traveling with the church pastor to Israel on an archeology dig. Sue spent many years since enjoying both her grandchildren and time with her family and friends. Sue was a standout with her joyful, kind and giving personality. Every casserole dish and tupperware bowl in the house has the Ogilvie name on it. A testament to the many, many dishes she prepared over the years and brought to anyone in need of a meal with love and compassion cooked into it, then delivered with a note of encouragement and a smile. She was the first to volunteer to help out in all situations and lived life with an honorable sense of duty to God and others. She is dearly missed and will be lovingly remembered by all who knew her.

Sue passed away peacefully August 12, 2015 at Covenant Shores from a stroke. She was surround at the time by her loving group of friends and family.

Sue is survived by her son Brandon Ogilive, (Maureen Ogilvie), daughter Andrea Ogilvie-Eisler, her two grandchildren Brandt Eisler & Claire Ogilvie. She is also survived by two sisters Nancy Halleen, (Dick Halleen) and Ann Atkinson, (Larry Atkinson), a sister-in-law Sheri Ogilvie and three nieces and two nephews.

Services will be held Sat., October 17th at 3:00pm at the Mercer Island United Methodist Church.