Susan Jane Furnas

Beloved Susan Jane Furnas, age 78, born in Hednesford, England, passed away after years of battling Alzheimer’s Disease on January 6, 2024. She passed away in Benton, Arkansas lovingly surrounded by her children Bill and Mike, and daughter-in-law, Trudy.

Susan Jane Furnas was born Susan Jane Lawrence on August 5, 1945, to her late parents Edward and Evelyn Lawrence. Susan spent most of her younger years in Gosport, England with her parents and older brother, George. During her secondary education at Bridgemary County Secondary Girls’ School, Susan was appointed as the school’s Head Girl and was noted by the Headmistress as “most conscientious and very dignified.” She excelled so much in her Domestic Science class that she and three other classmates were featured in a local newspaper for preparing festive Christmas cakes for the community.

As a young adult, Susan’s father who was a member of Royal Air Force (RAF), was stationed in Germany. This is where she would eventually meet her one and only true love, a young US Airforce recruit named Dennis Furnas. After a brief courtship, Susan and Dennis got married in Germany on November 22, 1963.

Sue and Dennis eventually moved to the United States and were later blessed with two sons. As a young military wife, Sue once had to make a difficult decision to move back with her parents to England. Along with her two-year old son and infant baby, Sue moved back to England when her husband, Dennis, was stationed in Turkey during the Vietnam War. After a year and a half of being apart, Sue, Dennis and the Furnas boys moved back to the United States.

Sue, as she was affectionately called by friends and family, was well-known for her exceptional cooking and baking expertise. Sue loved to cook and bake for friends and neighbors. Much to her young sons’ frustration, she would make some of their favorite dishes and make the young Furnas boys deliver the dishes to neighbors and friends instead. To make up for it, Sue would prepare her trademark roast pork and roast potatoes with gravy just for her boys.

Sue spent most of her free time in her precious garden. Her most valuable tool was her John Deere lawnmower, which she would routinely take for a ride in her yard. You would often see her outside either riding her green tractor or planting new bulbs in the garden beds surrounding her house. In full bloom, her house was always surrounded by a variety of colorful flowers and plants, which she proudly shows off to family and friends.

To say that family and friends would greatly miss Sue is an understatement. Sue’s compassion for others was
evident when she and other local quilters at the Kimberling Area would meet at the Kimberling City Senior Center to make sympathy quilts for those in need.

Through this, she was also able to help fund the Senior Center to keep it open. Sue was also known for her English accent, matter-of-fact humor, and contagious laugh. Dubbed as Lampe’s “Queen of the Neighborhood,” Sue took this bright outlook while going through the many health challenges she faced later in life. When she was diagnosed with cancer, she took the diagnosis with a positive attitude and a dash of humor. Trips to the treatment center were often filled with laughter, new experiences and adventure.

Yet, on top of all Sue’s great passions and adventures, nothing gave Sue the most pride and joy than being a grandmother. She lovingly doted on her granddaughter, Lauren, while growing up. Making sure Lauren emulates her, she dressed Lauren the way she did and taught her how to speak with an English accent! Later, Sue would have more grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Susan was preceded in death by husband Dennis Furnas. She is survived by her brother George Lawrence and wife Anne Lawrence in Australia; first son Bill Furnas and wife Trudy Furnas; second son Mike Furnas; grandchildren Lauren Breja and husband Justin Breja; Taylor Law and husband Brandon Law and Brenon Baker; great grandchildren Brynn Breja, Noel Breja, Jax Breja and Livi Law.

In honor and loving memory of Sue, the family requests that in lieu of flowers and cards, please
consider making donations to: American Cancer Society - https://donate.cancer.org/, Alzheimer’s Association - https://www.alz.org/, Hospice Association of America - https://hospicecare.com/.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 10:00 AM at Smith Benton Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church - Lampe, MO.

Arrangements entrusted to Smith Benton Funeral Home.