Susan Hoene Boyle

Boyle, Susan Hoene Feb. 26, 1955 - Nov. 30, 2022 Susan died on Wednesday, November 30th after a long struggle with Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD). Our heartfelt thanks go to her magnificent and loving carers at Friendship Village of Bloomington, MN. She was 67. Susan was raised and educated in Duluth, Minnesota at Cathedral High School and the University of Minnesota, Duluth. After working in local government in Duluth post-college, she made her way to Los Angeles and eventually to Tokyo, Japan, where she had a successful career in teaching, voicework, and television. It was there that she met Reggie and (after marriage in Duluth) that they started their family together. Along the way she became almost fluent in Japanese, always ready to learn new phrases and idioms, and joyfully immersing herself in Japan's culture, ancient and modern. Upon returning to Minnesota in 1991 after eight happy years, Susan taught Japanese in High School for seven years before redirecting herself to her family and to skiing. She loved to teach and was a brilliant teacher and coach to many in her women's groups at both Hyland Hills and Buck Hill in the Twin Cities. Eventually she became a Minnesota representative for the Professional Ski Instructors of America and ultimately became President of the 12-state Central Division of PSIA for two years. She made her mark on her chosen profession and made many enduring friendships along the way. Friends and family feel lucky to hold many memories where Susan was the light in the room: funny, fun-loving, and sharing that love with the rest of us. Over the past weeks, friends and family across the world told stories about Susan's dancing in Tokyo, her stories at Little Trout Lake, her entertaining (if occasionally alarming) driving, and her talent for accepting life's rougher-hewn humors. There have been many anguished moments in the years of her decline, but we're hard-pressed not to remember Susan laughing tears when her dear sister Peggy rumbled the pews at her father's funeral. She found moments like these funny for her entire life, and we are grateful, now more than ever, that she taught us to find laughter everywhere. Preceded in death by her parents Philip and Margaret (Boyle) Hoene and her sisters Nancy and Peggy; survived by her husband Reggie and children Georgina (Phil Boileau) and Arthur (Carliann Rittman), plus seven siblings (Betsy, Phil, Kevin, Barbara, Dick, Nina and Laura) and many much-loved in-laws, nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and scores of cousins. Susan was laid to rest in a family plot in Duluth on December 3rd, 2022. A Celebration of her life will be held at The Woman's Club of Minneapolis, 410 Oak Grove St, Minneapolis, MN 55403, on Saturday June 3rd from 4pm to 6pm. All are welcome but RSVP to susans.life.1955@gmail.com to give us an idea of numbers. Memorials in Susan's name may be sent to either the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) or the Courage Kenny Center Adaptive Skiing Program, in care of Allina Health.