Susan E. "Susie" Nowak, age 62, of Manistee, Michigan, died unexpectedly at her home on Friday, December 30, 2022, after a short illness.

She was born on January 19, 1960, in Manistee, daughter of the late Edward and Mary Ann (Wojciechowski) Nowak. Susie graduated from Manistee Catholic Central High School in 1978. She attended Muskegon Business College (Baker College) in Muskegon, then earned a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University.

After graduation, Susie was a clerk for the U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids for five years.  She then moved to Washington, D.C., where she began a 26-year career in early childhood education at Jenkins Hill Child Development Center, first as a teacher and then, for 16 years, as director.

In 2015, Susie fulfilled her long-held dream of moving back to her childhood home. She served as the administrative assistant for Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church in Manistee since 2018.

Returning to Manistee allowed Susie to enjoy some of her favorite pastimes. She loved walking on the beach, no matter the season. Having inherited her parents' desire for a well-kept and flourishing yard, she spent many hours reviving her mom's flower garden and trimming any shrubs the deer overlooked. Her passion for thrift-store shopping, which sent her to stores all over the Washington area, continued in Manistee, where she sometimes bemoaned the selection but loved the prices. Most of her purchases were practical, but her real treasures were the decorative items and pieces of furniture she could restore. Susie loved animals, and her cats, most recently Scout, were beloved companions.

Susie was preceded in death by her parents and an infant brother, John Paul Nowak. She is survived by a brother, Thomas (Suzanne) Nowak, a sister, Jo Ellen (Stephen) Karas, and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at Herbert Funeral Home in Manistee, with the Rev. Jody Bambas officiating. Visitation will be at the funeral home an hour before the service. Memorials will be established in Susie's name for the Homeward Bound Animal Shelter in Manistee and the Manistee County Library. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.

The Herbert Funeral Home of Manistee is in charge of funeral arrangements.