Susan "Sue" Seyden

Susan “Sue” K. Seyden, age 85, of Bourbonnais, went home to Heaven on her birthday, the evening of Tuesday, November 7, 2023, for the best birthday party ever. She was born in California on November 7, 1938, the daughter of Charlie and Edith (Mann) Kreamer. On July 1, 1961, she married John “Hal” Seyden in Bakersfield, CA. Together, they were active in multiple Christian ministries, including camps, churches, and Gideons International. This commitment to Christ saw them move to Illinois to help their son start a new church ministry in Kankakee, IL. All who knew her described her as kind, sweet, selfless, and full of love. Sue was a voracious reader, life-long learner, and lover of the arts. In her adult life, she practiced intricate needlepoint artwork, framing, and quilting. An avid musician, Sue could play the flute, piano, and string bass, which she played in the University of California, Berkley orchestra while a student there. Music was a lifelong passion, leading to becoming a piano teacher as an adult, and a square dancer later in life. Sue and her husband, Hal, loved to square dance. Sue even handmade their matching western shirt and dress outfits. While music was her passion, teaching was Sue’s mission in life. She viewed teaching as God’s ministry calling on her life. Sue was a junior high teacher for 35+ years. She began her career by teaching Native American children on the Paiute Reservation in the Sierra Nevada mountains, while Hal was a forest ranger in the Inyo National Forest. After moving to San Bernardino, CA, her ministry commitment led Sue to take underprivileged, inner-city students in Southern California to annual nature education camps in the local mountains, whale watching trips off the coast of San Diego, and academic competition events across Southern California. In recent years, Sue truly embraced her life and friends at Westwood Oaks (Riverside Senior Living). She enjoyed her weekly book club and movie night, as well attending summer concerts in the park. Above all her passions in life, she loved her family, and really loved her grandchildren. She cherished the many family memories made at Kreamer Cabin in Shaver Lake, CA, that has been the vacation home for six generations of their family. Sue loved her family, and they loved her just the same. Her youngest grandson, Joshua, was her absolute best friend, and he considered his grandma his best friend as well. From the time he was little, he spent every single weekend at his grandma’s house. Even through his teenage years, he visited and stayed over on the weekends, up until her passing. Sue is survived by those who loved her, including her son, Ben (Jessica) Seyden of Bourbonnais; two daughters, Heather (Steve) Combs of Colorado Springs and Jenni (Ray) Kosse of Colton, CA; two siblings, Karen (Nick) Moore of Hermosa Beach, CA and John Kreamer of Sacramento, CA; sister-in-law, Betty (Seyden) Roberts; five grandchildren, Daniel Combs, Brandon (Becky) Combs, Andrew (Ashley) Seyden, Bethany Seyden, and Joshua Seyden; and two great-granddaughters, Taylor Combs and Harper Seyden. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Hal Seyden; and her parents, Charles and Edith Kreamer. A memorial service for Sue will be held on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, at 10:00AM, at Westwood Oaks (100 Westwood Oaks Court, Kankakee, IL 60901). Reverend Ben Seyden will officiate. Cremation rites were accorded. Memorials may be made to Gideons International: www.gideons.org/donate.