Susan Louise Stradley

Susan Louise Morrison Stradley, 69, wife of Les Stradley, passed away Wednesday, May 16, 2018, at the CarePartners Solace Center surrounded by family and friends. Mrs. Stradley was born in Greensboro but lived in Asheville for most of her life. She was a daughter of the late J. Thomas and Louise Estes Morrison. She received her degree in teaching from UNC-Asheville. She taught fourth grade at Swannanoa Elementary (Williams Elementary) for ten years and coached a championship clogging team. She grew up in Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church from the age of seven and was married there in 1970. She taught 1st, 2nd and 5th grade Sunday school and was very involved in the church prayer group and circle until her passing. After the birth of her children, Matthew and Martha, she left teaching. She continued to support her community by serving on the state and local boards of the Children’s Home Society and as PTA president several times. She was proud of helping launch the magnet schools program still in use by Asheville City Schools. After the children were school age, she worked as a substitute teacher at Ira B. Jones Elementary School. Later she worked at Sanctuary of Stuff in Woodfin with Shari Johnson and Kim Miller. She enjoyed working in the shop because she was able to interact with all the customers. Her immediate family includes her husband, Les Stradley; daughter, Martha Johnson and her husband, Mike; son, Matt Stradley and his wife, Laurie; grandchildren, Millie and Sam Stradley and Savannah Johnson, as well as Roby Johnson “on the way”; a sister, Martha Hensley and her husband, Rex, and a brother, Jim Morrison. She also has many nieces and nephews with whom she was very close. Her ability to show kindness and compassion to all, especially to children, led many to see her as a second mother. Susan lived for her family, both immediate and extended. Many friends were so close she considered them family. She enjoyed hosting showers, parties, and especially Christmas Eve. Family to her was the core of life, and it was joy to have such a close one. She was a true caregiver to all. She was a fighter and a proud survivor of pancreatic cancer, until her recent reoccurrence. She was an advocate for progression on treatment and early detection. She beat the odds for over three years, carried by her faith. Susan had a passion for living life that was evident after spending just a short time with her. A celebration of her life will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church with the Revs. Marcia Mount Shoop and Richard Coble officiating. The family ask you to wear casual, brightly colored attire. The family will greet friends at a reception in the church fellowship hall immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church,789 Merrimon Avenue, Asheville, NC28804, the Children’s Home Society ofNC (www.chsnc.org); or to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation (www.npcf.us).