Susan was born July 7, 1941, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Rudolph and Helen (nee Holbrook) Qualset. According to Susan’s brother Robert Qualset: ” … she spent her primary and secondary schooling in the Mankato, Minnesota, public schools and graduated in 1959 from Mankato High School. She loved playing tennis where she could sometimes beat the boys! She also liked swimming and the outdoors. She made several Campfire Girls group trips to Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Wilderness Area and a trip to Europe (including Norway) by Dr. Ruth Shellberg of Mankato State University – Mankato.”
Besides Susan’s love of playing tennis, she enjoyed swimming. In 1961, Sue worked as a certified lifeguard in Mankato, Minnesota. Then in 1962, she worked as a certified lifeguard at the Campfire USA Camp Sweyolakan in Spokane, Washington.
According to Susan’s autobiographical sketch written on her application to the Women’s Auxiliary, Pioneers of Alaska – Fairbanks on June 21, 1993: ” … I attended Mankato State University and graduated (1963) with a B.S. degree in biology, chemistry and German. My main career in the work world has been teaching in California, New Jersey, Michigan and Alaska. During that time, I have taught the full gamut of science courses. Presently, I am teaching chemistry at Lathrop High School, hoping to retire this summer. I enjoy the kids so I’ll probably do some substitute teaching.
“In the late 1970s, I took a break from teaching and worked as the administrative assistant of the (Fairbanks, Alaska) Chamber of Commerce, under Wally Baer. During that time, I planned and organized four years of (Fairbanks) Golden Days Celebrations.
“Presently, I am involved singing with the Sweet Adelines (and have participated for 21 years) and feel that I have time to become an active member of the (Women’s) Auxiliary [Pioneers of Alaska – Fairbanks). It is a privilege to carry on the memories of the pioneering people of Fairbanks and Alaska.” Susan was initiated on Nov. 13, 1961, as a member of Sigma Zeta, an honorary science society, and on Nov. 30, 1961, Susan became a member of Alpha Mu-Gamma National Honorary Foreign Language Fraternity, Beta Chapter.
The first year after Susan graduated from college, she was interviewed in Mankato for a science teaching position in Merced, California. In California, the state education department required new teachers to attain “recency educational credits,” consequently, during the 1964 summer vacation, Susan and several colleagues decided to travel to Hawaii and enroll in the required courses. Upon arrival at the hotel, unbeknownst to them, there were also Hollywood movie stars in residence, including John Wayne, Patricia O’Neil, Kirk Douglass and film director Otto Preminger. The film in progress was “In Harm’s Way.” One day, a billboard was sited in the lobby announcing the need for “Walk-Ons” to act in a scene as “Naval Nurses” for one day. Susan and her lady friends earned $10 each for their one-day performance. However, since Kirk Douglass could not remember his lines, they also earned an additional $10 for their performance the following day! Whenever Sue and Joe viewed their video copy, when it came to the scene with Susan and her friends, the video was put in slow motion to see their brief performance. It was said that the best part of their performance ended up on the editor’s floor!
On Susan’s birthday in 1986, Susan and Joseph V. Strunka were joined in marriage in the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota. After visiting with many of Susan’s Mankato grade school, high school, and university friends, they returned “home” to Fairbanks, Alaska where they have resided to this present day.
Susan was initialed into the Pioneers of Alaska Women’s Auxiliary, Roll Number 1588 on Aug. 2, 1993. Susan served as a member of the P of A Foundation for several years. She also volunteered and assisted the Fairbanks, Alaska, Golden Heart Council Campfire Girls Organization, as well as the Fairbanks LOVE, Inc. Organization, which provides assistance for individuals and families facing hardships. Susan was a member of the Fairbanks Flower Club, which planned and planted flowers each spring at the Fairbanks International Airport to beautify the entrance and exit areas. Susan was also an accomplished single-engine pilot, soloing on June 7, 1970 in Hemlock, Michigan. Besides ownership of a Cessna 150, she was also checked out in the Citabria and Piper PA-12 and PA-18. She had 96 hours of logged airtime.
Susan enjoyed sewing clothing, crafting and especially sharing her culinary skills by inviting old-time Fairbanks guests to dinner, such as William “Bill” and Eleanor Stroecker, Adam and Barbara Polnasek, Clifford “Cliffy” and Betty Evert, Robert “Bobby” and Laverna Miller, William “Bill” and Jane Pryer, Jerry and Leah Walker, and centenarian Harry Hughes, who lived to the age of 107-plus years! After the guests had departed for home, Sue and Joe would regretfully say, “Unfortunately, we didn’t record the many stories that we had been told.” And what fun challenges of historical accuracy of each story! Such fun times were shared with wonderful friends.
Susan loved to garden and enhance her home with a variety of beautiful flowers. Sue was noted for her excellent canned pickled red beets that were shared with and enjoyed by friends. Susan enjoyed the surrounding wilderness by picking and canning berries and especially hunt for wild mushrooms, such as “shaggy manes,” “orange boletus,” and morrells, the latter two being dried or frozen to be enjoyed in the winter months.
Susan enjoyed every opportunity to go fishing, as did her mother Helen when Sue was a child. Sue was accomplished at fly fishing for grayling and trout in the Interior rivers and lakes. Additionally, she loved deep sea fishing for salmon and halibut by charter boat out of the Valdez and Homer ports, as well as “digging clams” on the beaches of the Kenai Peninsula.
During the fall and winter months, Sue was not one to “vegetate,” she always had hobbies to pursue and volunteered to assist social organizations which helped individuals and families in need or to just make Fairbanks a better place to live and enjoy life. Sue loved the Arts and played her piano when just relaxing at home. Sue would also accompany Joe at local gigs by playing her rhythm instrument, “the Polka Cello.” Sue served on the Fairbanks Light Opera Theatre (FLOT) Board of Directors for several years and financially supported the local Hap Rider Theatre Productions in Fairbanks.
Once the chill of the air brought on the fall season, Susan was ready to participate in the moose and caribou hunting seasons. She had her own Winchester 30-06 rifle to hunt with in the surrounding wilderness beyond Fairbanks. Sue always was excited to see the first snowfalls which meant it was time to bring out the cross-country and downhill skis! She enjoyed the University of Alaska Fairbanks groomed Skarland ski trails, as well as the downhill Cleary hill slopes to the north of Fairbanks.
During spring break, while teaching general science at Ryan Junior High for several years and later transferring to Lathrop High School to teach chemistry, Susan and Joe traveled many times to Mexico, Costa Rica and the Panama Canal Zone. Upon retirement, they continued traveling for longer visits to Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, as well as several visits to the Czech Republic.
Susan is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Marsha Qualset, and stepmother, Marian Qualset, all of Mankato, Minnesota; and cousins, Janice Bonge of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Virginia “Ginny” McDermott of Niskayuna, New York; Karen Fadness of LaCrosse, Wisconsin; Kathy and Kenneth Nathan of Cedar Falls, Iowa; and Sara and son, Frederick, Qualset of Bedford, Texas.
In conclusion, as recently stated by longtime Fairbanks friend, Betsy (Bert) Sharp: “… she (Susan) was a beautiful lady – I never, ever heard her complain – and always saw the best in everyone. I almost thought of her as a ‘true sister.’ We always managed to sit together when we got a chance.”
Susan was of the type who quietly worked toward the goals of the community organizations which she supported. As the saying goes, “still waters run deep!” You could count on her word when she agreed to take on a task or challenge. Susan lived and enjoyed life to its fullest. She is dearly missed by her husband, Joe, and her many friends.
Internment of Susan’s ashes will be within the gravesite of her mother in the Woodland Hills Cemetery in Mankato, Minnesota, alongside her predeceased brother, Craig Qualset. The cremation was performed by Chapel of Chimes Funeral Home in Fairbanks, Alaska. Special thanks are deserved by the Chapel of Chimes Director Rick Worland and associate Kelsey Shepherd for their compassion and guidance through the legal mazes and all around professionalism during this difficult time.
Throughout the many years of Fairbanks residency, a special heartfelt “thank you” is given to the wonderful, compassionate medical doctors and their respective staff associates. The loving care Susan received is a testament to the many dedicated medical professionals associated with Fairbanks Memorial Hospital (FMH), including Tanana Valley Clinic, First Care, the Emergency Department at FMH and Denali Center, respectively. Special “thanks” are given to Pastor Peters of the Fairbanks Lutheran Church for providing communion to Susan and Joe at their residence and Last Rights to Susan while at the Denali Center within days of her passing. Last, but not least, two “Living Angels,” Kathy Harrod and Susan Redlin, demonstrated their love for Susan through their many visits, loving gestures, and support throughout the past three-plus years; they are truly “Angels on Earth.” May Susan’s soul rest in eternal peace in the presence of our Lord. Amen.
Due to the pandemic, a celebration of life will hopefully occur in May at the Pioneers of Alaska Hall at Pioneer Park in Fairbanks, Alaska. To plant a memorial tree in Susan’s memory, please visit shop.arborday.org/commemorative.
The following poem was found in Susan’s belongings after her passing. It is titled “I’m Free” by an unknown author: “Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free, / I’m following the path God laid for me. / I took his hand when I heard his call, / I turned my back and left it all. / I could not stay another day, / To laugh, to love, to work, to play / Tasks undone must stay that way, / I’ve found that peace at the close of the day. / If my parting has left a void / Then fill it with remembered joy. / A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss, / Ah yes, these things I too will miss. / Be not burdened with times of sorrow, / I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow. / My life’s been full, I savored much, / Good friends, good times, a loved one’s touch. / Perhaps my time seemed all too brief, / Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief. / Lift up your hearts and share with me, / God wanted me now, He set me free.”
For special inquiries, please write or call Joseph V. Strunka at P. O. Box 70550, Fairbanks, AK, 99707, or 907-479-3347.
Published in Daily News-Miner on Mar. 14, 2021.
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