Susan Lee

On Valentine’s Day in 1925, George and Laura Jobe welcomed their thirteenth child, a girl they named Susan. The Jobes lived on an 80-acre farm in St. Clair, Missouri, where they raised dairy cows, chickens and all the vegetables they needed to feed their large family. To help supplement their income, Sue’s mother cooked lunch for the town’s factory workers, and Sue’s job was to wash all the dishes when she came home from school. At a very young age, she learned the value and importance of hard work, a lesson she continued to live by throughout her long career.As a youngster, Susan and her twelve siblings—seven sisters and five brothers—enjoyed what she later called a “fabulous” childhood. Their parents were strict disciplinarians who imparted to their children a strong set of values and encouraged them to be their best selves. They had very little in the way of material possessions—Susan never had any new clothes until she was twelve years old—but their house was filled with love and music. All of the children played instruments and sang, and their parents were members of the church choir. The church was the center of their activities and the hub of their social life.After graduating from high school, Sue enrolled at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, where she studied for two years, until her father died and her mother needed her at home. Shortly after that she reconnected with Dean Lee, a friend from Tower Grove Baptist Church in St. Louis, and in 1948, they were married. Early in her professional life, Sue began working for Maritz, Inc., and during her long tenure there, she rose to the position of Executive Secretary and Assistant to the President. She and Dean lived comfortably in St. Louis and in High Ridge, Missouri, where they were active in their churches and sang in the church choirs. In 1980, they both retired and moved to Hot Springs Village.They enjoyed ten years there, playing golf and occasionally traveling, before Dean died and Sue moved from their home to a townhouse and then to Good Sam. In her new home she took advantage of the many opportunities open to her. She played golf and bridge, and she traveled to some of the places she had always longed to see—including Hawaii, Canada and Bermuda—and she began to frequent local casinos where she experienced extraordinary good luck at the slot machines! While at Good Sam’s, Sue met a gentleman who became a good friend, and, much to her surprise, her second husband. His name was Don Janes, and they enjoyed two very happy years together before Don died in 2008, and Sue was, once again, on her own. A few years later, Sue became friends with another Good Sam’s resident, Bill Kuykendall, and, as a duo, they had a lot of fun traveling, eating at local restaurants, playing cards, and just spending time together.Until shortly before her death, Sue enjoyed good health, and she was known for her optimistic attitude and sunny disposition. She was a strong Christian and a good sport, always looking for the best in people and taking a positive stance in all situations. Her upbringing had taught her to accept whatever hardships came her way and to appreciate every blessing. Her loved ones have been the recipients of her generous spirit and her policy of giving a lot and asking for nothing. She will be missed by her nieces and nephews and many friends.
Arrangements entrusted to CedarVale Funeral Home in Hot Springs Village, online condolences may be made at www.cedarvalefuneralhome.com.