Suzanne M. Gehrels

Suzanne Marie Gehrels was born on November 20, 1950 to Fritz and Irma (Peterson) Gehrels in Crosby, Minnesota. She attended Pipestone High School in Pipestone, Minnesota and graduated in 1968. She furthered her education by completing a two-year fashion merchandising course at the Southwest Minnesota Technical School. After her schooling, she moved to Los Angeles, California. After five years, she relocated to Phoenix, Arizona. About four years later, she moved to Seaside, Oregon and made a living as an artist and managing an apartment complex. A few years later, she moved to Portland, Oregon and worked for the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Department where she remained until her retirement in August 2013. On September 5, 2023, Suzanne died at the University of Minnesota Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the age of 72 years, 9 months, and 16 days.

Suzanne was gifted in designing and making jewelry, and painting seascapes and portraits. She loved animals and always had a rescue dog and a few cats living with her.

Suzanne is survived by her siblings, Les (Shyrl) Gehrels of Spirit Lake, Iowa and Dale (Patt) Gehrels of Milford, Iowa; nieces and nephews, Craig (Kathy) Gehrels and their children, Kaitlyn and Kelsie Gehrels, JoLind (Deven) Houselog and their children, Tanner, Mattie, and Chase Houselog, Damon Gehrels and his children, Ty and Kayley Gehrels, and Kristin (Jared) Heck and their children, August, Otto, and Elsie Heck; and Suzanne’s Oregon family, Karen Preston, Ryan (Mary) Preston and their daughters, Ava and Eve. She was preceded in death by her parents, Fritz and Irma Gehrels.