Susie (Giles) Graner

passed away in her home

in Mendota Heights, MN

on July 12th.

She was born in Des

Moines, Iowa, the young-

est of three born to John

and Audraine Giles. She

spent most of her early

years in Omaha, Nebras-

ka. She treasured her

neighborhood, family life,

and childhood friends, re-

calling them often with

story and smiles.

In the middle of her

sixth grade year, Susie

moved to Minot, ND, a

difficult move made hard-

er by the upcoming Minot

flood and teacher’s strike.

This transition was made

easier by ice skating daily

with brother Steve. Even-

tually, new lifelong

friends were made as

Susie’s life expanded to

include sports, cheerlead-ing, an active social life,

and her love of singing.

She sang in church choir,

school choir and Change

of Pace, the show choir

she loved most. Her chil-

dren, Luke, Sarah, and

Stef followed her exam-

ple.

Susie graduated high

school in 1975, attended

UND for one year, and

then returned to Minot

after a memorable sum-

mer life-guarding at Lake

Metigoshe State Park.

While deciding her next

move, she worked a few

different jobs including

her favorite one at Red

Owl.

Her next move was a re-

luctant surprise. She met

future husband Steve, a

summer intern at Im-

manuel Baptist Church.

While she had deep

respect for her parents’

marriage and mission, fol-

lowing in their footsteps

was not in the cards.

Steve was kept at arm’s

length.

When she found out

Steve was going to be a

teacher, things changed.

They became close friends

and eventually fell in love

after a camping, canoeing

trip to the Turtle Moun-

tains with youth leaders,

Paul and Cheryl. They

paddled, climbed birch

trees, swung limb to limb,

and sang in harmony, a

powerful mix that led to

lifelong romance and mar-

riage of over 40 years.

The two year plan for

starting a family became

the two month plan. Luke

was born the day after the

first anniversary with

Sarah and Stef coming 2+

years apart–plan now

working. Susie became

busy doing her favorite

job: being a Mom. She sa-

crificed her own career

dreams to stay home with

her kids. This prepared

her well for her next best

job: Grandma. She held

this job the rest of her life.

No one can think of

Susie without remember-

ing her smile, her beauti-

ful eyes, and her voice.

She was musical harmony

embodied. Her gift of dis-

cernment always made

her aware of the needs of

others. Her giving nature

always did something

about it. Singing and

dancing her part is a

strong metaphor for how

she lived. She was often

teased about always look-

ing for another note in the

chord. She was that other

note. She was that

grace-filled dance partner.

Faith in God through

Christ sustained her in

everyday life and at the

end of life. She had no

fear of dying as long as

she knew everyone else

would be all right. When

she passed to “that place

prepared for her”, she

gave us a subtle smile,

and we knew she was all

right too.

Susie is survived by her

husband Steve, her

parents John and Au-

draine Giles, her sister

Sally Jones (Rodd), broth-

er Steve Giles (Claire), son

Luke Graner(Jacey),

daughter Sarah Maslowski

(Josh), and daughter

Stephanie Graner (Logan).

She leaves eight

grandchildren: Jaxon,

Hudson, Kingston and

Anderson Graner–twins

Kaya and Bela

Maslowski–Lily Graner

and Moon Gillespie with

one more Gillespie on the

way. She treasured her

15 nieces and nephews

and her 9 great nieces and

nephews. Her in laws Col-

leen and Jerry Murrey,

Gordy and Ardell Graner,

LeRoy and Susie Kam-

beitz, and Lauree and

Jesse Hellman were a con-

stant source of joy for her.

She made great friends

everywhere she lived,

friends too numerous to

list. She remembered

them all.

The angel choir has ad-

ded a new voice and a few

new notes in the chord.

Susie was set free from

her cancer on July 12th,

and we all rejoice in the

peaceful harmony that

surrounds her in heaven.

Susie’s life will be cele-

brated in Minneapolis at

St. Stephen Lutheran

Church of Bloomington,

MN on Sunday, July 21st

at 4pm. This will be fol-

lowed by a Memorial Ser-

vice at Immanuel Baptist

Church in Minot, ND at

11am on July 23rd. Buri-

al will be at the Regan,

ND Cemetery on July

24th, also at 11am. In all

places we will celebrate

with music, story, and the

lessons of faith she passed

on to all who knew her.

Then she will rest in

God’s grace.

Per Susie’s wishes,

memorials will be used to

help establish a scholar-

ship fund for youth mis-

sion trips at St. Stephen

and for scholarship stu-

dents at the Mountain

Dojo in Albuquerque, a

mission largely dedicated

to serving children with

autism.