Sue McNally

Generous, loving, and kind, Susan McNally lived a heart-centered life devoted to making others happy. Always willing to lend a hand, Sue was happiest when making life easier and more joyful for others. Whether providing people a service or sharing a conversation, Sue’s warmth, compassion, and genuine interest always created a positive impression. A devoted wife, sister, aunt, and friend, Sue will be lovingly remembered and so very missed.

1956 proved a year of vibrant growth, with consumerism taking off in previously unimaginable ways. For the first time in history, seven out of ten families in the US owned an automobile, and new laws were created to require seat belts to be installed on all new cars. The new home market exploded while the baby boom continued to proliferate. McDonald’s, TV dinners, cans of Coca-Cola, Lego, Velcro, and The Mickey Mouse Club all became household mainstays, while Rock and Roll music continued to grow in popularity with more idols, including Elvis Presley, Bill Haley and the Comets, Chuck Berry and The Platters. This time of hope grew even brighter when Susan was born on April 22, 1956, in Midland, and John and Winona (Marlow) McCrorey adopted her 18 months later.

As a kid, Sue liked doing her own thing. She belonged to Sing Out Kalamazoo in the 70’s. The group sang at places like the top of Gilmore’s parking structure or local parks. Her parents liked taking the family to Lake View, near Traverse City, where it was so quiet it was possible to hear people talking on the boats or having lunch on the water. Sue enjoyed playing shuffleboard and riding the family’s horses. She was so excited when she caught her first fish, you would’ve thought she won the lottery! That quickly faded after she watched her dad clean the fish. She was also a Girl Scout and could always count on her aunt for Life Savers and Cracker Jacks for the car rides to the lake.

Sue graduated from Loy Norrix High School with the class of 1974 and, over the years, had several jobs. She worked at Lee’s Sportswear from 1972 to 1974 and at The Butcher Shop from 1974 to 1976. From 1976 to 1979, Sue was a nurse’s aide and ward clerk at the Upjohn Nursing Home. More recently, she worked as a dog groomer until she was no longer able to lift the dogs in and out of the bathtub.

Working at the butcher shop as a teenager had its challenges. However, it also had the greatest reward. It was during this time that she met Glenn McNally. His mother frequented the butcher shop and told Sue about Glenn’s new puppy. When Sue asked to meet his puppy, he was happy to oblige. Not long after, their first date was to the park on July 5, 1976, and they married on May 20, 1977.

Like her mother, Sue enjoyed gardening and cooking, but she especially enjoyed the company of guests and throwing a party any chance she could. She was a terrific hostess. The Marlow family dinners every month were a favorite, particularly when it was her turn to host. Her aunts, Nina, Helen, and Dorothy, each held special places in Sue’s heart as well, and she would do anything for them. She loved sharing time with her nieces and nephews. She even volunteered as a leader for her nieces’ Girl Scouts troop and enjoyed watching them on holidays or just for fun.

For many years, Sue and Glenn bowled in a league where they made many friends. Sue also found joy in quilting and scrapbooking. She’s created mountains of scrapbooks, each perfectly outlining the happiest memories and stories. Her family will long miss her generosity and the many ways she showed how much she loved them. She’d randomly surprise them with food or big donuts and sent cards for any and every occasion. She loved baking bread and sending it to friends and relatives. Her banana bread was unrivaled, and her Christmas cookies were the first to be gobbled up. She sent countless presents to her family out of state, including big tins of cookies, candies, fudge, and tasty treats.

As we gather to celebrate Sue’s beautiful life, may we find comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying her legacy of wholehearted generosity forward. In each moment we choose to greet a stranger as a friend, give of our time and talents in service of others, welcome friends and family into our homes, and gift our loved ones with special greetings and sweet delights, we celebrate the many ways Sue’s gifted our lives. In this way, we will keep her spirit alive and inspiring others as she so inspired us.

Susan McNally, of Plainwell, age 67, died on September 15, 2023. Surviving are her husband of 46 years, Glenn; brother, Thomas McCrorey; and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Please join us at a Life Story Celebration where food, drinks, and stories will be shared on Thursday, September 21, from 4-7 PM at Betzler Life Story Funeral Homes, 6080 Stadium Drive, Kalamazoo, 269-375-2900. A Life Story Service will be held Friday, September 22 at 11 AM with a reception in the Life Story Center. Burial at Portage South Cemetery. Visit Sue’s webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com to archive favorite memories and photos and sign her guestbook. Memorial contributions may be made to Kalamazoo Humane Society or SPCA of Southwest Michigan.