The Van Wert County Courthouse

Friday, Mar. 29, 2024

Susan (Sedgwick) Poling

Susan (Sedgwick) Poling passed peacefully at her home in the CWE on Monday, December 30, 2019, after an 11-month battle with cancer. 

Susan (Sedgwick) Poling

Cherished wife of Donald Poling, beloved stepmother to Matt (Maggie) Poling and Jane (Eric) Vatterott, and adored grandmother (Susu) of Ellie, Nora, Luke, and Mary Poling, and Cole and Sam Vatterott. She is also survived by two brothers, Paul (Sharon) Sedgwick and Ted (Lineth) Halliday; two sisters, Linda (George) Taylor and Kim Bicknell; her mother-in-law, Lois Poling; a sister-in-law, Ann Buis; one brother-in-law, Tom Poling; 14 nieces and nephews; and give godchildren.

She was dearly loved and admired by us all. 

She was preceded in death by her mother, Betty Lou Baldwin McDowell, her father, John R. Sedgwick; and her father-in-law, William Poling.

Susan was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and moved to Jacksonville, North Carolina, at age 7. She received her bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University and her master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University. After working briefly in coastal preservation in Florida, she moved to St. Louis, where she worked for the St. Louis County Parks Department from 1979 until 2015 as the planning manager, grant writer, and independent consultant. After her retirement, she became a board member of the St. Louis Parks Foundation that raises funds to enhance the county parks system. Her other civic activities included serving on the boards of World Bird Sanctuary (where she was recently honored with the Susan Poling Nature Area Trail), Meremec River Association, Missouri Wildlife Rescue Center, Gateway Trailnet, Henry Shaw Ozark Corridor, East Carolina Alumni Association, and Doorways. 

She also was a youth coordinator for many years at Salem United Methodist Church, chaired the entertainment committee for the county fair and air show, served on the bid committee for the 1994 Olympic Festival and the 1998 Goodwill Games, and was on the committee creating Winter Wonderland in Tillis Park. For leisure, she enjoyed family time, reading, hiking national parks, time at her Naples beach house, pampering her cats, traveling (U.S. and overseas), hosting elaborate themed dinner parties for her friends and family, gardening, arraigned silk flowers, building magnificent dollhouses for her granddaughters, pool parties, and theature and museums.

Susan lived a good and virtuous life in her 67 years, extending her kindness, goodwill, and generosity to family and friends alike. She was a role model and positive influence to many youths that she came in contact with during her life who will benefit from her friendship. She spoiled her family with her constant love and thoughtfulness. Our dear Susu will be terribly missed as we try to carry on without her presence.

A memorial service celebrating her life will occur at 11 a.m. Saturday, January 25, at Salem United Methodist Church, 1200 S. Lindbergh Blvd. in St. Louis, Missouri (63131). A reception will immediately follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers donations to the St. Louis County Parks Foundation (attention: the Susu Treat House Project), P.O. Box 31158, Des Peres, MO 63131.

POSTED: 01/07/20 at 5:49 pm. FILED UNDER: Obituaries