M. Suzanne ‘Suzie’ Willits – Services 3/9/23

M. Suzanne “Suzie” Willits, 80, long-time resident of the Andalusia area, passed away Monday, March 6, 2023, at Aledo Rehabilitation and Health Care. Services will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, March 9, at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory in Milan (201 E. 4th Avenue). Visitation will be one hour before the service from 10 to 11 a.m., Thursday, at the funeral home. Private burial will be in Rock Island National Cemetery, Arsenal Island. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association in Suzie’s memory.

Suzie was born January 17, 1943, in Davenport, Iowa, eldest daughter of James and Winnie (O’Hearn) O’Toole. She graduated from New Boston High School as valedictorian in the Class of 1960. She completed business school at AIC in Davenport and was employed by Federal Bake Shops. On April 20, 1963, she married Jerry L. Willits and relocated to Ft. Bliss, Texas, until Jerry completed a tour of duty with the U.S. Army. While in El Paso, Texas, she was employed by White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico for the government.

After returning to the Quad City area, she began employment in March 1965 with the former Davenport Bank and Trust. In 1967, she joined the former Moline Lutheran Hospital as a respiratory therapy technician. One year later, she relocated to the former Uptown National Bank in Moline in the accounting department. In 1972, she became an employee of the former First National Bank of Rock Island as a commercial teller. She later worked in the note department and installment loans as an administrative assistant. After nineteen years of service, she retired in 1991.

Suzie enjoyed a dual career as she completed the Black Hawk College nursing program in 1996. In 1998, she joined the Oak Glen Home as a charge nurse, retiring after eight years of service. Her passion was helping those in need.

Her love of life was exceeded only by love of her family, including two grandchildren. She served many years on the volunteer staff committee for the Festival of Trees. In earlier years, she never missed her son’s sporting events and was a Rockridge Boosters Club member for many years.

Suzie was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Milan.

In retirement years, she thoroughly enjoyed spending winters at their home in Placid Lakes, Florida. Special memories include visits from their son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren when they visited Disney World, Busch Gardens, and Universal Studios.

Survivors include her husband, Jerry; one son and daughter-in-law, Todd and Brenda Willits, Pell Lake, Wisconsin; grandchildren, Logan and Taylor Willits; sisters, Judy (Loyd) Wakeland, Keithsburg, Illinois, and Pam (Edward) Schaefer, Freeburg, Missouri; and one brother, Tom (Elizabeth) O’Toole, Hanover, Illinois.

Suzie was preceded in death by her parents and one niece.

Online condolences and memories may be shared with the family by visiting www.wheelanpressly.com.