Lange, Susan (Ahern) 1940 - 2023

LANGE, AHERN, SILDE, SMITH, MEHR, BARTLETT, KALLIO, PETERSON, KROSKA

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 4/21/2023 at 16:31:01

Susan Lange, age 82 of Decorah, Iowa, died on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, unexpectedly of a heart attack at Vennehjem in Decorah, Iowa.

Services will be held June 24,2023, at Vennehjem in Decorah. More information to follow.

“HAVE FUN!!!”

“Have fun” was the theme of Susan Lange’s life. And she did. Whenever family or friends would say goodbye or would go off to do something, Susan would say, “Have fun.”

Playing games was one of the things Susan found most fun. She loved playing Chinese checkers and all kinds of card games, especially 500.

Susan’s amazing love of fun and laughter, her generosity, wisdom, curiosity, creativity, compassion, wit, sense of humor, willingness to help, and love for friends and family had an impact on all who knew her.

Travel was a passion of Susan’s. She worked as a travel agent for many years. She specialized in Hawaii, where Susan and Davis traveled to many times. Also, they traveled to many other warm weather destinations. Susan also traveled around Europe several times.

Quilting was another passion of Susan’s. For years she made many beautiful quilts of all colors, shapes and sizes. When a baby was born, someone got married, or other special occasion, Susan would make beautiful quilts as a very special gift.

Earlier in her marriage, Susan worked for several newspapers, including the Decorah, Iowa newspaper that was owned by L. Dale Ahern, her father.

Susan and Davis owned and operated Velvet Beach Resort in the 1970’s near Brainerd, Minnesota, where her two eldest children graduated from high school.

At the end of the 1980s, Susan and Davis purchased a run-down resort on Bay Lake in Deerwood, Minnesota. With the help of family and friends, they remodeled 15 cabins, built a swimming pool, and turned Hunters Bay Resort into a thriving business.

Susan and Davis returned to the Lange family farm in 2002.

Susan was generous. The family had numerous birthday parties, Christmases, and other gatherings at Susan and Davis’s home in Bluffton, Iowa. Susan would cook and cook and cook many, wonderfully delicious meals, which almost always included her favorite food, potatoes. Susan loved potatoes. Growing up an Ahern in Decorah in her Irish household, potatoes were a staple.

And talk about generous; Susan’s gift buying for family and friends went above and beyond. She would spend literally thousands of dollars every year on gifts.

In 1958 Susan married her high school sweetheart, B. Davis Lange, her husband of 63 years. They had four children, 13 grandchildren, many great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

Susan is survived by children: Laurie (Brad) Silde, Maple Grove, MN; Dan (Torie) Lange, Deerwod, MN; Tim (Linda) Lange, Sioux Falls, SD; and Ben (Kim) Lange, Decorah, IA; siblings: Ann Smith, Crosby, MN; grandchildren: Shannon (Brian) Mehr; Morgan (Mitch) Bartlett; Michael Lange; Rebecca Kallio; Matthew (Kelly) Lange; Adam (Angela) Lange; Kristina Kallio; Eric Peterson; James (Hannah) Lange; Penny (Sean) Kroska; Billy Lange; Maria Lange; Paige Lange; many great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

She was preceded in death by husband, B. Davis Lange; brother John Ahern; parents, L. Dale Ahern and Doris Ahern.

Source: Helms Funeral Home database