Susan Stavinoha

Susan Stavinoha,”Nonnie” 71, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 25, 2018, in the house she had so beautifully made into a loving home. Susan Gail Eldridge was born on November 7, 1946 in Boling, Texas, to Geraldine and Joe Eldridge. She was a graduate of Boling High School where she lit up Friday night football games with her baton as a Boling Bulldog twirler. She was married in 1980 to Daniel Wayne Stavinoha—her devoted husband and companion in life. In her 71 years, she was many things to many people: a daughter… a sister… a wife… an artist… a friend… a mother… a Nonnie… and, to her very special grandchildren, a mermaid.

The world has lost one precious soul, that’s for sure. Her memory lives on with those she held so dear to her heart: her daughter and son-in-law,Randa and George Allie, sons and daughter-in-laws Jason & Christi Stavinoha, Aaron & Kerry Stavinoha, Jesse & Heather Newman,& son, Jeremy Stavinoha; her sister & brother-in-law, Becky & Ted Conerly, Brother & sister-in-law Joe Miller and Paula Eldridge; her grandchildren—Austin, Hunter, & Presli Allie; Josh, Alex (spouse Kaitlin),& Collin Stavinoha; Jack, Diego, Rocky, & Ferris Stavinoha; Josh & Bailey Aucoin & Wyatt Newman, and great-grandson, Veto Dicandio.

She’s greeted in heaven by her beloved son, John David Newman, and her beautiful granddaughter, Taylor Houston allie. She is also preceded in death by her grandparents—Essie and Hamilton Kemp; parents—Joseph “Joe” and Geraldine “Jerry” Eldridge.

Susan was the kind of friend that everyone wishes they had and the kind of woman that could give you a run for your money. She can be remembered in many ways… Painting beautiful pieces of art and crafting until the sun came up. Everywhere she went, she made a friend. With a glass of pinot grigio in one hand and a Virginia Slim in the other, she could tell a whole library’s worth of stories with the wisdom of a scholar and the cadence of a southern belle. You can remember the Susan who always stayed so faithful to her hometown of Boling… You can remember the Mississippi-Susan with babies on her hip and that bright sunshine smile… You can remember her in Louisiana, eating crawfish in Slidell as the old creole songs of New Orleans called to her across the bayous… Maybe you’ll remember the way she loved to dance to a live band or how she could spend an eternity on the beach with the sand between her toes, surrounded by her family as the wind swept across the sea and into her hair… she called herself a beach baby.

Remember her as the “Nonnie” to every kid she met, weaving lasting tales of magic, mermaids, and golden sand dollars. Remember her as the mother of many and as the grieving-hearted woman who lost her son and a granddaughter. Though many trials and obstacles were put before her, she always had time for a smile and a good-natured laugh. Remember her on Halloween and Christmas when her yard could outshine any Home & Gardens magazine cover. Remember her as the pearlescent woman she was as she is called to B each Pass , her gateway to the beach, from her parents small cabin in Matagorda, Texas, where she spent so many of her summers as a young child, and returned to as a young parent. Where the horizon meets the sky and waves kiss the shore for ever and ever and ever.

Heaven must have really needed a Nonnie up there.

The service will be held at Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W Main St, Brenham, Texas, with a 9:30 am family greeting prior to the memorial service starting at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 29, 2018, where we can all pay our respects, grieve, and—of course—tell stories and reminisce. It’s what Susan would have wanted.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org

Funeral arrangements for Susan Stavinoha are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 West Main, Brenham. To post a tribute to the family, visit www.memorialoakschapel.com.

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