Susan Virginia Babcock was born July 2, 1944 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and passed from this life on September 2, 2018 at the Sheridan County Health Complex in Hoxie, Kansas.
Susan was the daughter of Vern and Virginia (McCoy) McClain. She had a tough start to life when she was born weighing only 2 pounds and was not expected to live through the night. But the Lord had other plans. Her daddy was away serving in WW II in Italy, and she got to know him by looking at his picture. She married Richard (Dick) Babcock on February 10, 1961 at Smith Center, Kansas. To this union two daughters were born, Michelle (Cahoj) and Cheryl (Elsen). This young family made their home in Hoxie before briefly moving to Salina and then Hays, Kansas, returning to Hoxie as the girls started school. In 1979, they ventured out into the unknown and moved to Lake Havasu City, Arizona where they lived for 12 years before, again, returning home to Hoxie. Susan and Dick celebrated 50 years of marriage before his passing in 2011.
In earlier years, Susan was known about town simply as “Midge”. She was a bookkeeper for many years and worked for Great Plains Auto Supply in Hoxie and Havasu Auto Supply in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. She also worked as a cashier at Joslyn’s Food Center for a number of years. Susan always worked full time until her retirement and even then continued to work part time until fairly recently when her health begin to decline. Even with the constant medical problems she kept smiling. She was a “joyful” cook and very much enjoyed trying new recipes and fixing everyone’s favorites, with her specialties being the “southern” food she was raised on which was also loved by her family. She was a talented seamstress and made her girls lots of clothes as they were growing up. Susan was also a decorator at heart and loved spending time at home “fixing up”. Her face would light up when she recalled childhood memories of spending time with her grandmothers, aunts, uncles and cousins. She was full of stories of “cousin Shenanigans”. She was an only child, and the relationships with her cousins were so special to her as they really were like brothers and sister to her. She was baptized at St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church in Hoxie in 2015. She loved being a grandma to her three grandchildren and eventually was proud to have three great-grandchildren, Max, Dean and Cativa, getting to meet little Cativa in July. She was so deeply loved by her family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband Richard (i.e. Dick, Shorty), parents Vern and Virginia; mother-in-law and father-in-law, Leon and Wilma Babcock, all but one of her dear aunts and uncles, and several very beloved cousins.
Susan leaves behind her two daughters, Michelle and husband John Cahoj of Hoxie, Kansas, and Cheryl and husband Frank Elsen of Abilene, Texas; three grandchildren, Richard Cahoj and wife Monica of Bay City, Michigan, Chere Tiller and husband Stetson of Port Orchard, Washington and Gabrielle Elsen of Abilene, Texas; three great-grandchildren, Max Tiller, Dean Tiller, and Cativa Cahoj. She also leaves behind her brother-in-law, Charles Babcock and wife Ruth of Dodge City, Kansas; her Uncle Jim McCoy of Brandon, Mississippi; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who will all miss her deeply.
A Mass of Christian Burial is planned for Friday, September 7, 2018 at 10:30 A.M. at the Saint Frances Cabrini Catholic Church. A private family inurnment will take place at a later date. Visitation will be September 6, 2018, from 1:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. with family receiving friends from 5:00 P.M. to 6:30 P.M. A Tribute and Rosary Service will be held at 6:30 P.M. all at the Mickey-Leopold Funeral Home, Hoxie, Kansas. Memorials are suggested to the Sheridan County Benefit Walk or St. Frances Cabrini Church Renovation Project.