Most of us know this person, and we love her very much. She is a faithful servant toWestminster and a lifelong member of the Presbyterian Church.
She was born and raised in Louisiana. She learned to cook, bake, clean, can various foods, and sew at a young age. She sang in the school choir and excelled in Home Economics. She was crowned Miss Farm Bureau Queen of LaFourche Parish. Then she went on to compete in the
Miss Louisiana Pageant. She attended Nicholl’s State College earning a Bachelors Degree in Home Economics. She married Kent on June 3, 1964. She worked as a Social Worker for the state of Louisiana. Then she and Kent moved to WashingtonState, where she continued as a Social Worker for 31 years. They have a son, Paul, a daughter, Maria, and two grandchildren, Owen and Ruby.
Our friend was a 4-H leader, Brownie and Girl Scout helper, dance chaperone, Crop Walk rest station attendant, a chauffeur, and cheerleader for all her children’s activities. She sewed about 30 fancy dresses for her daughter while she was a Rainbow Girl and for many school dances. She also entered numerous fruits, veggies, and baked goods at the Thurston County Fair.
For many years, she has been involved with the “Brown Bag” group, which is now called Thurston County Extension Homemakers. Over the years, this group of women had booths at various community events doing things like: decorating brown paper bag puppets on Halloween at the Olympia Community Center and sponsoring potato decorating for the St. Patrick’s Day Festival. She is also a member of the Friends of the Olympia Early Learning Center, and provides support with reminder phone calls, cooking, and whatever else needs to be done.
She has been involved in many church activities: Singing in the choir, Sunday School teacher, has attended the Upper Room Sunday School Class for years, member of the Rachel Circle, serves on the Memorial Committee, makes calls to those who are on the prayer chain, served as Deacon, cooked and organized workers for Bread and Roses, and cooks food for any occasion that arises. The baskets she puts together for the Youth Auction are very popular. They consist of canned foods, homemade jams, breads, and cookies. She is undoubtedly one of the best cooks in the church!
Her daughter, Maria, says: “My mom is an amazing woman! The greatest thing she taught me is what it means to be charitable by herself, being a living witness and faithful servant, sharing all within her means to anyone who was in need. I also learned from my mom there are no strangers in life, just friends you haven’t met yet! I am proud to say that this lesson has served me well all my life. A quote from my mom on a snowed in Thanksgiving Day: It’s always good to have chickens in the backyard. That way you can go and squeeze a chicken. I need another egg for the pie!”
“Another quote from my mom: ‘No matter how beautiful you are, if you can make a good pie crust, your husband will love you forever!’ “This is a true one, as I have recently unlocked that mystery. Our pants will never fit the same again, but my husband loves every minute of it! My mom has told me many times through the years you are not alone, God is always with you. This wasn’t what I always wanted to hear, but looking back I know it was her prayers for me and her gentle reminders that helped me want to rededicate my life to Christ. I am a Christian because I came to church with her and sat beside her in the pew. I watched her live her life and fell in love with Jesus too. I am a better person for having Susan Girard as my mother.”
As you know by now, we are talking about our dear friend, a woman who has one of the biggest hearts I know, SUSAN GIRARD.
Please join me in congratulating Susan, who was unanimously selected as this year’s recipient of the Honorary Life Member of Presbyterian Women.
