Susan Gillette Robinson, 55, of Manassas, VA., formerly of Milan, IL, died peacefully at her home surrounded by her family on June 16th, 2020, after her long brave battle with paraganglioma cancer.
A memorial visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 18th, 2020 at Mountcastle Turch Life Celebration Home, 4143 Dale Blvd, Woodbridge, VA 22193 with a funeral mass taking place on Friday, June 19th, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 12975 Purcell Rd. Manassas, VA 20112. She will be laid to rest on a later date at Preemption Cemetery, in Sherrard, IL next to her sister. Cremation rites will be performed per her request. In lieu of flowers, Susan has requested you consider one of the following things in her memory:
- Volunteer at a church or school.
- Make someone smile and tell them how they have had a positive impact on your life.
- Put down your cell phone and talk to your children about their hopes and dreams. Listen, support and tell them that anything is possible.
- Forgive someone who may not deserve it.
Susan is survived by her husband of 25 years, Timothy Robinson, Manassas, VA; son, Shawn (Lindsay) Minard, Cumming, GA; daughter, Vanessa Robinson, Manassas, VA; mother, Christie (Bob) Johnston, Milan, IL; father, Daniel (Deborah) Gillette, Lufkin, TX; brother, Don Gillette, Chicago, IL.; grandmother, Lorena Drish Runyan, Rock Island, IL; grandchildren, Joshua and Lillian Minard, Cumming, GA. She was preceded in death by her grandfathers, Donald Gillette and Virgil Drish; grandmother, Hope Gillette; sister, Angela Gillette and cousin, Debbie Drish.
In true “Susan fashion” she put these few words together to share with the world after her death:
“The truth, or my version of it, is this: I just tried to do the best I could. Sometimes I succeeded, and sometimes I failed, but I tried. For all of my comments, jokes and complaints, I really did love people. The only thing that separates me from anyone else is the type of sin each of us participated in. I didn’t always do the right thing or say the right thing, especially when I was younger. When you come to the end of your life, those are the things you really regret, the small simple things that hurt other people.
My life was not perfect, and I encountered many, many bumps in the road. But mostly, I enjoyed life. Some parts of it were harder than others, but I learned something from every bad situation, and I couldn’t do any more than that.
I guess there are some benefits of dying before your parents. I will be there to greet them when it’s their turn to pass into the afterlife. And if the Lord allows, I will be able to watch over my loved ones and children from heaven.
Much love to all of you and it’s never too late to change for the better.”
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