Susan Holliday 1942- 2026

Susan “Susie” Louise Erickson Holliday, 84, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2026. Susie was born May 12, 1942, in Lincoln, Nebraska to Arnold (Jack) and Melva Erickson. The family moved to Des Moines, Iowa, during Susie’s early years, where she lived for the rest of her life and graduated from Roosevelt High School, Drake University, and earned her Master of School Counseling at Iowa State.

Susie and her husband Bob met in high school and married in 1965. She taught kindergarten and supported Bob while he attended law school. Once they had children, she stayed at home until returning to the workforce at Goodrell Middle School in 1991, where she thrived on supporting students as a counselor until her retirement in 2002.

While Bob and the kids were her number one priority, Susie loved volunteering and helping others where she saw a need. She was a founding member of the Bargain Basket through the Junior League; additionally, she brought art into schools for “Talking Canvas” presentations and gave demonstrations to school kids at the Science Center of Iowa. The Alpha Phi sorority, her quilting club, the gourmet club, and her mahjong group were treasured ways to spend time with friends. Favorite summer activities included spending a week each summer at Family YMCA Camp in Boone and taking annual trips out West in the family Chevy Suburban, trailing a pop-up camper (which always broke down and caused Bob to use lots of curse words).

Susie is preceded in death by her parents, Jack and Melva, her infant brother Jack, and several siblings-in-law. She is survived by her husband Bob, son Greg, daughters Gretchen Flaherty (Rick), and Emily, grandchildren Jeremy, Oscar, Jeremiah, Vivian, Gibson, Ginger, and Kotter, as well as sisters Paula (Tom) Dille, Mary (Glenn) Burbridge, sister-in-law Mary Jane Hood, and several nieces and nephews.

Services will be held at Central Presbyterian Church in Des Moines on June 17, 2026. Visitation with the family will be at 10:00 AM with the memorial service at 11:00 AM. Please join the family for Celebration of Life immediately following at Christopher’s restaurant, 2816 Beaver Ave.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Susie’s name to Taylor Hospice House/UnityPoint Health – Des Moines Foundation or Ellipsis of Iowa are greatly appreciated.