Obituary of Susan M. LaFleur

August 26, 1948 – April 8, 2024

Susan M. LaFleur.  Age 75 of Van Buren Township.      

Beloved wife of Richard Pawlak.  Loving mother of Joseph Holt, Susan (Paul) Jekielek, Carolynn Bridges and Maria (Tim) LaLonde.  Dearest grandmother of Nolan, Blake, Remi, Grant and Guinevere.  Dear sister of Eileen Jacqueline LaFleur.

~Family Tribute~

Susan Marie Lafleur was a true humanitarian. Her kindness and drive to help others less fortunate knew no limits. Our dad, Arthur Jekielek (father of Susan, Maria, Carolynn, stepdad to Joey) always said, “Your mama will fight for you and if there is anyone you want on your side, it is your mother.”  She had a brilliant mind, genius level, and could finish story problems that not even her math teachers could solve.  She was educated in higher mathematics, computer science, and microbiology.  She traded precious metals futures in her 20’s and invested in Cryptocurrency before most people had heard of it.  She was unconventional and always well ahead of her time with respect to medical and political science.  She was elegant and had a keen eye for quality.  She loved music.  One of her favorite songs was Al Green’s, Love and Happiness and she loved dancing to this song.

As a mother, she made a strong impact on her children.  She taught them to be strong, courageous, independent, and fearless.  She gave them the experience of living in beautiful 18th century homes in Southwest Detroit.  She took them to Marches in Washington DC to fight for women’s rights, encouraged them to excel in school, and even to backpack across Europe.  She taught them how to visit our representatives and senators in DC to promote legislation that protects our rights.  She volunteered her time on political campaigns and worked tirelessly for monetary reform. She made sure her daughters understood women’s history, and what women had to do to receive the rights that we have today.   Her children experienced a perception of life that few ever had the privilege to know.    With a brilliant mind, a spunky personality, a smile so big it lit up the room, a heart to help those less fortunate, and the elegance & beauty of Princess Grace Kelly, Susan is a woman that we believe is supremely special. In the words of Eileen Jacquline Lafleur, “My baby sister was simply the best,” and that is how we choose to remember her.