Suzanne Carroll Beeman, 91, of River Forest, died on Feb. 6, 2025 in South Bend, Indiana after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Born on Sept. 5, 1933 to Edith Murray Carroll and James Patrick Carroll in Columbus, Ohio, she grew up in the Great Depression, was a devoted sister to each of her siblings, cultivating relationships with their children and supporting them with their vocations and personal challenges. As a teen, her family moved to River Forest, where she graduated from Trinity High School in 1951. Four years later, she earned a BA in Sociology with Honors at nearby Rosary College, now known as Dominican University.
While in high school, she met Richard Arthur Beeman, the love of her life. They were married on Sept. 10, 1955. Following his military service on the West Coast, they settled in River Forest. The next four years brought four children, then two more, and a seventh and final child that arrived in 1969. She presided over a rambunctious and loving household for 30 years, and they were deeply involved in their children’s lives and their community. When her children were grown and had kids of their own, she became grandmother Eme, dedicating countless hours to story-reading, walks, letter writing and visits.
She possessed many other talents, passions and interests. She served as “Picture Lady” at Lincoln School and spent summers as swim team rep for the OPCC Otters in the 1970s. In her late forties, she worked as a sales clerk in a retail boutique and then spent several years as a tour guide in the city of Chicago. Finally, she worked for nearly a decade as an administrator at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. She proved to be a bold traveler, including biking in Vermont, trekking in New Zealand and a trip through the Soviet Union in the waning days of the Cold War. She had a special appreciation for the Art Institute of Chicago. Her interests in the arts and humanities live on in her children and grandchildren.
She was a dedicated parishioner and member of the church choir at St. Luke Parish in River Forest and at Old St. Pat’s Church in Chicago.
Sue was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings and their spouses. She is survived by her husband, Richard; their children, David (Pam), Carroll Christman (Doug), Tim (Nancy), Chris (Jill), Katie Russell (Mike), Daniel (Simone), and Peter (Elaine); her grandchildren, Dustin, Dane, Jason, Dylan, Kerry, Christie, Connor, Cassidy, Molly, Callie, Cole, Andrew, Grace, Riley and Charlotte; and many nieces, nephews and great-grandchildren. The family would like to express special thanks and appreciation for the dedicated care provided to Sue during her time at Holy Cross Village and final years at the Quinn Memory Care Facility there.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21 at Old St. Patrick Church in Chicago.