‘Sue’ Traw

Obituaries

February 27, 2012 - 12:00 AM

Susan D. “Sue” Traw, 65, of Iola, passed from this life into the presence of the Lord on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, at her home.

She was born Feb. 2, 1947, in Humboldt, Neb., the daughter of Harlan Jacob and Alice M. (Strahm) Wittmer. She grew up on the family farm at Bern, where she graduated from high school in 1965. She received her bachelor’s degree from Emporia State University in 1969 in elementary education with a minor in music.

On Sept. 1, 1968, Sue married Steven P. Traw in Bern. They made their home in Emporia for a year while they finished their education. They moved to Seneca and she taught kindergarten and music at Kelly, south of Seneca for two years. Steve joined the U.S. Air Force and they moved to Lubbock, Texas, then Sacramento, Calif., where son Michael was born, and Topeka before she returned to Bern with her son to reside while Steve served overseas. Their two daughters, Judi and Rebecca, were born in Destin, Fla., when they lived there. While Steve attended seminary, the family lived in Garland, Texas, and Sue taught in Christian education. They served a church in Post, Texas, for five years and Sue taught piano to more than 50 students. In 1987, the family moved to Iola when Steve became pastor of First Christian Church.

Sue taught elementary music education at Jefferson and McKinley Elementary Schools in Iola for 15 years. She continued giving piano lessons, always serving as an accompanist at all the churches where they lived, including serving as organist at First Christian Church and Wesley United Methodist Church in Iola. She belonged to P.E.O., Iola Music Club and was an accompanist for Vespers and the Allen County Community College choir.

She is survived by her husband of the home; her three children, Michael Traw and his wife, Tara, Bucyrus, Judi Donaldson and her husband, Kelly, Topeka, and Rebecca Stephenson and her husband, Kyle, Iola; 13 grandchildren, Kathryn, Beatta, Jesse, Joseph, Benjamin and Timrek Traw, Tatum, Madeline, Clairen and Jacob Donaldson and Abigail, Eliott and Wyatt Stephenson; two brothers,  Ronald Wittmer, DuBois, Neb., and Larry Wittmer and his wife, Beverly, Colony; and a special cousin raised with her family, Hal Prichard, Sabetha.

Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel in Iola.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Iola.

Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday  at Strawn Cemetery northwest of Burlington.

Memorials to Susan D. Traw Memorial Fund may be left at the funeral home. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.iolafuneral.com.

 

Advertisement

Advertisement

Related
February 6, 2023
July 9, 2014
September 10, 2012
August 16, 2011