Susan Foslien

Susan Jean Foslien, the daughter of Raymond and Jean (Olson) Johnson, was born on June 19, 1953, in Alexandria, MN.  She grew up on a farm in Moe Township and loved to follow her dad around the farm.  He lovingly nicknamed her “Louie”.  Sue was baptized and confirmed at East Moe Lutheran Church.  Sue graduated from Brandon High School in 1971, and continued her education at St. Luke’s School of Nursing in Fargo, ND where she received her degree as a Registered Nurse.

Sue first met her husband, Frank Foslien, in confirmation class at East Moe Lutheran Church.  While attending high school, Sue began dating Frank during her junior year.  Together they were united in marriage on August 17, 1974, at West Moe Lutheran Church.  Three children were born to this marriage: Stacy, Sara, and Darren.  Sue worked at Children’s Hospital in St. Paul before they moved to Florida for a short time.  Sue and her family settled in Richfield and she continued her work as an RN in the Pediatric Department at Fairview Hospital in Edina.

In 1982, Sue and Frank moved their family to Frank’s family farm in Moe Township.  Sue then began working at the Douglas County Hospital as a labor and delivery nurse.  She retired after 25 years due to Alzheimer’s Disease.

Sue was a kind, loving, and caring wife, mother, sister, aunt, friend, and grandmother.  She had a great sense of humor and loved little children.  Friends and family called her the “Baby Whisperer”, because of her gentle and tender way of calming children.  She always had a baby in her arms.  Besides being a wife and mother, Sue used her skills as a nurse to tend to bumps, bruises, and broken bones caring for her family.  She kept her family on the “straight and narrow”, and was the rock of the family.

Traveling was fun and exciting for Sue.  Motorhome trips in the summer, ski trips in the winter, trips to Hawaii, England, Ireland, and Norway will be cherished memories for her family.  Other memories would be of Sue’s singing and harmonizing to any song with her Dad and sisters.  She also loved gardening, sewing, and baking.  She could do everything.  She also loved her children and her seven grandchildren.  She was so proud of all of them, and cherished every moment with them.  She will be forever in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.  Even though her last ten years of life were difficult, Sue handled it with grace, positivity, and strength.  Sue and Frank’s marriage showed all of us the true meaning of unconditional love.

Susan Jean Foslien died on Saturday, February 24, 2018, at Edgewood Vista in Alexandria at the age of 64 years old.  She is survived by her husband, Frank Foslien of Garfield; daughters, Stacy (Steve) Hemming of Lino Lakes and Sara (Brendan) Reilly of Osakis; son, Darren Foslien of Garfield; seven grandchildren; Marissa Reilly, Allison Hemming, Benjamin Reilly, Carter Hemming, Jenna Reilly, Tyler Hemming, and Owen Reilly; mother-in-law, Betty Foslien of Alexandria; brother Mark Johnson of Garfield; sisters, Lola (Loren) Backlund of Brooklyn Park and Gail (Chuck) Backes of Herando, FL; nieces, nephews, and cousins.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Ray and Jean Johnson of Garfield.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 3, 2018, at 11 AM at West Moe Lutheran Church.  A visitation will take place at the Anderson Funeral Home on Friday, March 2, 2018, from 4-7 PM and also for one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday.  Interment will be in the church cemetery.