Mary Susan “Susie” Bickel (nee Curtin)
October 13, 1948 – August 24, 2025
Fortified with the Sacraments of Holy Mother Church, Susie passed away peacefully on August 24, 2025 at Mercy DeGreeff Hospice House after a short illness.
Susie was born on October 13, 1948 in St. Louis, MO to Annette Curtin (nee Klocker) and Cornelius Francis Curtin. She attended Nerinx Hall High School and Avila University, but fell in love with a man who she met through friends and who reportedly did not want to take her to see “The Sound of Music” because he had seen it previously. Regardless, she was smitten and married John R. Bickel in July 1968. They were married for 47 years until John’s death in 2017.
Susie is survived by her two children: Kate Blanchard and Jay (Evy) Bickel; Grandchildren Kevin (Amy) Kopriva, Mark (Mandy) Kopriva, Stephen Kopriva, Brendan Bickel, Joseph (Paige) Kopriva, Ryan Kopriva and Brianna Bickel and great-grandchildren Kalvin Kopriva and Asa Kopriva; Siblings Carol (Derrick) Dufresne, Joanie Sundermann, Jim Curtin, Ann (Bob) Friday, Paul (Alison) Curtin, Kathy (Dave) Becker and Neil (Yolonda) Curtin and brother in law Terry Gates; Nieces and nephews Noelle (Tim) Humphrey, Stephanie Dufresne, Nick Dufresne, Robert (Megan) Friday, Matt (Jen) Friday, Julie Friday, Julie (Pat Kelly) Sundermann, Jane (Jim Gallagher) Sundermann, Suzanne (Dave) Seo, Henry (Alyssa) Sundermann, Patrick (Christine Zaino) Curtin, Kyle Curtin, Aileen (Andy Plunk) Curtin, Claire (Richard) Bussy, Libby (Kyle) Fleshman, Teagan Humphrey, Maeve Humphrey, Cuatro Friday, Shari Ann Friday, Graham Friday, Henry Fleshman, Eleanor Fleshman, Archie Bussy, Yuri Seo, Simon Seo, Caroline Kelly, Hank Sundermann and Mia Gallagher.
She joins her parents, husband, sister-in-law Dr. Mary Elizabeth Bickel and many friends to the party her father is likely throwing in Heaven.
Susie was often seen with a smile, had a love for life and was universally loved. She was particularly funny, telling her family “The Queen has fallen” after having a stroke. When taking her grandchildren to the movies, it began to rain as they left and she wore a traffic cone as a hat to run to the car. She has been described as a “social butterfly” who knew no strangers and who you could often find sitting at someone else’s table when you arrived to lunch. She knew someone everywhere she went, including in an elevator in the SLU parking garage.
Susie loved music and singing her favorites, the Beatles, Barry Manilow and the complete playlist of 102.5 KEZK. This would only be surpassed by the Christmas music format beginning in November. Christmas was her favorite holiday, making her home festive, baking cookies and wrapping a huge mound of presents. Susie was a talented crafter, making her house a home with fabric, a glue gun and various crafting materials.
One of her most amazing skills was to remember details, birthdays, anniversaries, phone numbers and the who, what and when of an event. Her friends and family went straight to the source for the information they forgot.
Susie was a wonderful loving and caring parent, wife, sister and friend and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
In lieu of flowers, please send memorials to Our Lady’s Inn or a charity of your choice.
Visitation
Thursday, September 4, 2025 at 4p-8p in the Parish Center at St. Joseph in Manchester.
Funeral Mass
Friday, September 5, 2025 at 10am at St. Joseph Church in Manchester
St. Joseph Manchester
567 St. Joseph Lane
Manchester, MO 63021
Susie was always so much fun to be around. Though I haven’t seen her in a number of years, she will always hold a special place in my heart as one of my surrogate moms after my own mom passed away while I was in college. Visiting her (even if she was nibbling on raw ground beef while cooking), going to lunch and going shopping with her and Kathleen was always an adventure!
The gold standard of a friend, and a part of our family. Too many experiences we shared- all precious memories. Alice.Mitzi. Pine cones.Engineers.Dancing.Sukiaki.Robics.
Regalia. Rainbows. Pucky Huddle Stomper… so many more. I can’t imagine going through my life’s journey without you. You made the world a better place. Forever in my heart.
Susie and my mom were lifelong friends from grade school and growing up, I have many warm memories of Susie. She was hilarious and had an infectious laugh! It was always fun when Susie was around. She and my mom had many adventures together like in the 80s when they started a wall papering business called “The Paper Dolls” and they used to host craft shows in their houses selling handmade crossstitch crafts and household decorations. When I graduated high school, she made a cool pillow for my bed from my uniform skirt and my cheerleading badges. Susie left a lasting impact on our family, not only as a support and friend for my mom, but also my siblings and I. When I turned sixteen, she (and maybe John?) helped my mom find a used, reasonably priced Buick (with an 8 track!) for me and later my brother to drive, I borrowed a prom dress from her daughter Katie, she encouraged me get my first waitressing job at KC Masterpiece, and growing up she and my mom started my collection of Madam Alexander dolls. She attended all my siblings weddings (even flying to Florida for one) and always brought the fun and laughter! She will be greatly missed. Thank you Susie for all the love you’ve shown me and my family over the years.
65 years has gone by much too fast! Susie and I were 12 years old when we met in 7th grade and I can’t imagine life without her caring advice, beautiful smile, and her quiet presence in my life when I was falling down during the hard times. She never left my side. But we also had lots of crazy adventures and could start laughing at nothing in particular and at things that no one else would understand. Which made us laugh even harder thinking we were the funniest people alive. Our birthdays were 2 days apart…she was older and so often I couldn’t remember how old we were and I would have to ask her. She always knew. She helped me raise my children and was a shining example to all of us of an incredibly kind and loving person. Susie was a special gift from God to all of us and we are each a better person for having had her in our lives. I love you, Suz. I will always miss you. I look forward to the day that we will meet again.
PS: I still have some of the “Irish Regalia” and will bring it with me so that we can celebrate St. Paddy’s Day again!
What an amazing woman. Met her at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church in Crestwood. She was always friendly, loving and caring.
She will be missed dearly. RIP my friend.
💔💔💔💔💔💔🙏💔💔💔💔💔💔