Susan K. Herder

Susan K. Herder, 67, of Fergus Falls, peacefully passed away Wednesday, November 21, 2018 in her home. Susan was born in Brainerd, Minnesota on October 24, 1951. She attended St. Francis Catholic School, followed by graduation at Brainerd High School in 1970. She then graduated from Brainard State Junior College in 1972, where she met her best friend and the love of her life, Joe Herder. She then graduated summa cum laude from the College of St. Benedict in 1974. Sue and Joe were married a week later on June 1, 1974. They lived in St. Cloud, and moved to Fergus Falls in 1979, where they have lived ever since.
She gave birth to four beautiful children: Joe, Sarah, Janna, and Maria. She was also blessed with many grandchildren, both in Heaven and on Earth, whom she loved wholeheartedly. Her commitment to family and faith was unwavering and unchanging, and she blessed her husband, children, and grandchildren with this love. Through her life’s work in the library of Our Lady of Victory Catholic School, she blessed others with her love of books for 25 years until her retirement in 2015. She continued to gift this love to others through her endless trips to Barnes and Noble.
If she knew you, she loved you, and she prayed for you daily. She continues to do so in the arms of her Savior. Her love surrounds us, and her spirit continues to live within us.
She was welcomed home by her mom and dad, Janet (Kendall) and Leo (Mick) Garvey, her three grandchildren, and many other family members and friends.
Left to cherish her memory is her husband and best friend Joe Herder; her treasured children Joe (Cami) Herder, Sarah (John) Lewis, Janna (Chad) Ruzek, and Maria (Jesse) Rasmussen; her beloved grandchildren Joey, Sasha, Tristan, Sabrina, and Tyler Herder, Calvin and Reed Lewis, Gabriella and Max Ruzek, Sophia and Elliot Rasmussen; her cherished siblings Sally (Jon) Anderson, Tom (Colleen Neary) Garvey, and Kelly (Steve) Sandberg; her many nieces, nephews and other family members, as well as the Birthday Group and other countless friends.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, November 27 from 4-6:30pm, with a prayer service at 6:30pm, and a Catholic Daughters Rosary at 6:15pm at the Glende-Nilson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls. A Celebration of Life Mass will be held Wednesday, November 28 at 11am at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church. We invite you to wear something blue to help celebrate Sue, as it was her favorite color. Dinner will be served immediately after in the fellowship hall of the church, and burial will be at St. Otto’s Catholic Cemetery in Fergus Falls.
We thank and praise God for the gift of Sue!