Florence – Susan Inman, 77, of Florence, passed away peacefully on May 20, 2019 at home with her husband at her side, and went to be with her Lord and Savior in her eternal home after a long brave battle with cancer. She was born August 1, 1941, in Deer Lodge, Montana, where she attended Powell County High School. She married her longtime love John Inman in 1962 and together they made many new friends and explored new places in his work with the Forest Service. Susan graduated from the University of Montana in Missoula, MT, with a degree in elementary education in 1967. She taught second grade for one year in Geyser, Montana, and delighted her kids with her dresses and matching shoes.
Susan loved to give handmade gifts as a gift from her heart to her friends and family. Her hands were rarely still, always creating cross-stitched pictures, needlepoint treasures, and quilts for her grandchildren. She enjoyed baking, always the one to bring the most chocolatey and decadent dessert to any party. She also loved working in the yard, camping at the family cabin near Echo Lake, spending time with her grandchildren, and reading. She was the volunteer librarian for both her church and the town of Florence for many years, thoroughly enjoying the process of “reviewing” all of the new thrillers that arrived. Every year she and John looked forward to their annual bike trip with dear friends from the Forest Service, taking their bikes or hiking on trails all across the country. She loved Christmas, especially, and took great joy in the decorations and her snowman collection every year. She was very patriotic and loved clothes, decorations, crafts, pins and and anything else red, white and blue. She maintained a bulletin board at her church that kept their young men and women who were in harm’s way in the forefront of people’s minds and prayers.
One of her greatest loves was the Florence-Carlton Community Church, where she led a Monday-morning bible study for years and loved both those ladies and her couples small study group like they were family. She also looked forward to helping with the Memorial Day service, rummage sales, annual bazaar and other church events. Many friends commented during her last years battling cancer that she had an amazing inner peace that touched all around her. Her life was a living example of one of her favorite Bible verses, Timothy 4:7. “I fought the good fight, I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.” She stood firm in her faith about God’s Son Jesus and our salvation through Him. She was a caring, compassionate person with a strong feeling of right and wrong and she would not hesitate to share her opinion on issues she believed in.
Susan is survived by her beloved husband, John, and also by her daughters and sons-in-law Carri and Alex Carothers of Albuquerque, NM, and Janelle and Steven Herren of Grafton, MA, as well as four grandchildren: Jayden and Gabriel Carothers and Calleigh and Luke Herren. She was preceded in death by her parents and younger brother Steven. She was an adored grandmother who always looked forward to the latest pictures of her grand kids, and all of these she loved and touched deeply. She will be greatly missed by us all.
A celebration of her life was held on Tuesday, June 4th at the Florence Carlton Community Church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch (1732 South 72nd St. West, Billings, MT 59106), the Navigators (PO Box 6000, Colorado Springs, CO 80934-6000) or the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.