It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Susan Dykins Augustine; wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, into the Lords loving arms on Sept. 17, 2024. Where do I even start? Sue brought sunshine to any room that she entered. Sue was that rarest of people—loved by all who knew her. Sue was beautiful, kind, loving, vivacious, smart, creative, courageous and warmly inclusive to everyone. Perfectly stated by my dear friend, "Sue was beautiful in every way."

Above all, she loved being a mother, grandmother and friend. Sue was totally engaged in being a parent and grandparent. Whether it was kickball, wiffleball, ping pong, cards, or art projects and conversations with the kids, you could count on Sue to be playing and teaching, not watching. Her daughter-in-law captured it so beautifully in a note to Sue, "Your playful nature with the kids has taught me not just to watch the kids but participate—get in the water or play kickball—have fun with them."

She loved walking 6-8 miles a day with her sisters and biking with me. She loved golfing and book club, but most of all because it was with her friends. She loved the lake life of living on Minnetonka. She loved mowing the yard and feeding the hummingbirds. She loved travel, with several dozens of trips to Europe, Africa and Asia. She loved Caribbean sailing and cruising. She was an excellent skier and loved skying the Rocky Mountains. She loved US travel with the unfulfilled goal of visiting all of the National Parks. She loved writing and illustrating children's books and making special birthday collages for everyone in the extended family. She loved ice skating on the frozen lake and kayaking through the tinkling ice crystals of the spring melt. Sue lived life to the fullest.

Born on April 23, 1955, Sue was the second of four girls to Charles and Elaire Dykins of Bloomington. The four sisters were inseparable and energized, then and now. Sue had the creative talent of her father, and the passion for nursing of her mother, two people that Sue deeply admired and loved.

She graduated from Jefferson High School ('73) and U of MN nursing ('77). She worked at the U in pediatrics until I finished medical school. We then worked in a small mission hospital, remote in the jungle of Liberia, W. Africa. She always showed tremendous courage, not just in bravely treating desperately ill pediatric patients but also in facing armed Liberian revolutionaries and the Lassa Fever epidemic plaguing Liberia at that time. She camped in the African bush, had to escape from Liberia through the jungle - not by the main road to the airport - and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. Never once did she suggest going home early. For the next 8 years she gracefully handled the challenges of being a Naval Officer's wife, including my deployments. During this time, she was also a pediatric ICU nurse, a sailing instructor and racer, and devoted mother of our two young boys, Ryan and Brent. Following the Navy, we had our third son Garrett, and she became co-founder of Augustine Medical Inc, a medical devices development and manufacturing company. She not only had the courage to become an entrepreneur with its inherent instability and constant challenges, but to switch from nursing to medical sales, which she naturally excelled at. In the words of our brother-in-law, "When the wind kicks up, Sue says let's go sailing; others say let's go to the basement."

She and I and our three boys, are now working on our third company, Augustine Surgical Inc. Sue had the heart of a lioness. In the early 2000's she was cofounder, Board Member and primary sponsor of Peace House Foundation (PHF), dedicated to helping the AIDS orphans of Africa. PHF sponsored and educated more than 1,700 orphan kids. PHF also built a beautiful boarding secondary school for 640 orphans near Arusha, Tanzania, and operated it until the Lutheran Church took it over.

Sue succumbed to non-smokers lung cancer. She had no history of cancer in her family and lived the healthiest lifestyle of anyone I know. God has plans that we don't always understand. Sue accepted His plan with utmost grace.

The pain of her leaving us is felt by everyone she knew: husband of 46 years—Scott; sons Ryan, Brent (Molly) and Garrett (Laura); grandchildren Reese, Paige, Maddie, Carter, Calvin, Elle, Jesse and Diana; sisters Lee Thomas (John), Sandy Loken (Warren) and Judy Klopp (Steve); nieces, nephews and so many friends and extended family. Sue is deeply missed by all of us—there is now a huge and irreparable hole in the fabric of our family.

Celebration of Life to be announced in the coming weeks. Please send memorials to the American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice.