Susan Ruebens Obituary

Susan Jane Ruebens – known by those who loved her as Sue, My Darling Sweetheart Sooz, Mom, Gramma, and because of her enduring sense of humor, SueRue – danced into the arms of Jesus Feb. 7. She was 73.
Mantle radiation gave us 30 extra years with Sue after she received it to treat a second case of Hodgkin's in the '90s. Five years ago, the radiation began causing a host of cancers that she bravely battled with an unwavering faith in God's greater plan.
Sue was a pure soul. Her big deathbed confession was that she once snitched on her older sister to their mother when they were teenagers. (Her sister laughed and forgave her.) During rounds of radiation last year, she anonymously left notecards of Bible verses she found inspirational, inscribed in her impeccable penmanship, in the waiting room for other patients. Her favorite verse was Proverbs 3:5-6, and she found great solace in the books of Isaiah and Romans.
Prayer was also integral to Sue's life, and she began each morning reading the day's Scripture readings and three different reflections. Then she recited a decade of the Rosary, the Memorare, asked Fr. Willie Doyle and St. Padre Pio for their intercessory prayers, and prayed for those on her prayer list, as written on two notecards. Prayer, she said, makes your day go better.
Sue was born on Christopher Columbus Day, Oct. 12, 1951, in New York City's Christopher Columbus Hospital. She was the second of five children to Al and Marcie Chestone, and the family moved to the suburban town of Westwood, N.J., when she was small. She graduated from Westwood High School and earned her bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of New Hampshire in 1973. Sue taught third grade at Holy Trinity Elementary School in Hackensack, N.J., for three years. Then she joined United Airlines as a flight attendant, based out of Newark, for four years. Sue moved on to various administrative roles and in 1984, went on a blind date with her future husband, Simon, at the Allendale Bar & Grill. The rest is history, and the two cherished a loving marriage until the end four decades later.
After moving to Simon's native Virginia, their daughter Lindsay was born. Sue was a stay-at-home mom and treasured her time with her daughter. When Lindsay started middle school, Sue went back to work as a teaching aide. The family moved to Charlotte in 2003. She continued in various teaching roles and also became an active member of St. Matthew Catholic Church.
Sue loved to exercise (bonus points for good music, especially "Everybody Dance Now") and started the women's exercise ministry at St. Matt's. She also brought water aerobics to her Beverly Crest neighborhood. She was a superb dancer and even mustered the energy to do the Twist with her daughter and sisters a couple of weeks before her passing.
Sue believed every outfit benefited from good accessories, especially a bold earring. She loved shopping and having lunch with her daughter and also meeting regularly, for more than a decade, with her Cursillo small faith group. Sue was a voracious reader, so much so she kept an alphabetized, tabulated binder full of her own book reviews, mostly to remind her which books she'd already read. She also loved sending homemade cards to friends and family.
Most of all, she loved her family fiercely and adored her three young grandsons. She is survived by Simon; her daughter and son-in-law Lindsay and Kane; grandsons Russ, Leo, and Roy; siblings Lynn, Tom, Randy and Cathy; and many more relatives.
Mass of Christian burial will be held at 1:00pm on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at St. Matthew Chapel with Father John Allen, Celebrant. The family will begin to receive friends at 12pm. Burial will be held at a later date in the church columbarium.
In lieu of flowers, she requested you mail a card to someone you've been thinking about. She will be greatly missed.
Arrangements are in the care of Heritage Funeral Home, Ballantyne Chapel. Online condolences may be left at www.heritagecares.com