Susan Jane Dessing
July 8, 1949 – February 22, 2022
Susan J. Dessing passed away peacefully at her home in Kirkland on February 22, 2022 surrounded by her husband, Peter and their children, John and Jane.
Susan (née Anderson) was born in Ashland, WI, the youngest of three children, to Jane Anne and Bertram “Jiggs” Anderson. She graduated from Hayward High School in 1967 and was awarded a full scholarship to the University of Chicago. There she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Romance Languages and Literatures in 1971. It was at University that she met her future husband, Peter Dessing. They married May 10, 1973 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
After a year in Europe, Susan and Peter returned to the United States, to Parkersburg, West Virginia. Susan received her teaching certification from Marietta College (OH) and worked as a substitute teacher. She also taught full-time at the Parkersburg Juvenile Detention Center and served as Continuity Director for Parkersburg’s local cable television station, Channel 9, where she worked on TV commercials.
In 1979 their son, John, was born. Later that year, the Dessings moved back to the Netherlands where their daughter, Jane, was born in 1980. Peter’s career also brought the family to Pittsfield (MA), Wassenaar (Netherlands), London (England), Newington (NH), Minneapolis (MN), and Karlsruhe (Germany). Susan was instrumental in supporting Peter in his work, hosting many company and personal parties, and managing the family’s homelife in the US and abroad.
Susan loved seeing the world, creating and studying art, learning new languages, and making long-lasting friendships. Always a nurturing presence, wherever she moved she quickly developed a circle of close friends and actively engaged in local community life, teaching, and charity work.
Susan and Peter retired in Kirkland, Washington in 2009. In retirement, they traveled to many countries and embarked on several ocean cruises. Susan had a particular love for the gardens of England and made many plein air watercolor paintings there. She often painted at her friends’ gardens, the Bassetti’s Crooked Arbor Gardens, Bellevue Botanical Garden, and at the Kirkland Marina. Her paintings reside in many homes, and Susan always brought her artistic flair and encouraging spirit to her painting groups, which she enjoyed immensely. She loved the local community and felt at home walking and appreciating the many sights of the lake and mountains.
Susan will be missed dearly by her many friends and family members. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Dan Anderson. She is survived by her husband and two children, her sister Judy (Anderson) Hunt, as well as her sisters-in-law, Joan Anderson, Marijke Dessing and Noor Dessing.
A memorial service will be held at Kirkland cemetery on April 22, 2022, at 1pm, followed by a reception at the Dessing residence.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Susan J. Dessing to the Bellevue Botanical Garden or Evergreen Hospice Care.
3 Responses to “Susan Jane Dessing”
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We got to know Susan and Peter on a cruise in 2013. From then we became friends and had a great relationship with them. We are thinking with joy at the many occasions we met and had dinner and drinks. Susan was a gifted watercolor painter and we love her works.
It is difficult to accept that she had to leave us too early in this life.
We wish her husband Peter all the strength to bear this loss.
Thank you Susan, that we had the privilege to know you, we will not forget.
Our condolences.
André van de Ven and Marsha Tidy.
Dear Peter and family,
It is with deep sorrow that I write this tribute to Susan.
Andre and Marsha, our neighbors, introduced us to Susan and Peter in 2013 when they came to visit them in Florida. I helped them find a house in a beautiful community close to where we lived. From then on, the 6 of us were friends and shared many happy moments together.
Susan was kind, sensitive, talented, and very thoughtful. ……And beautiful. I could have conversations with her on many subjects – she was well informed on so many, not just art. I truly enjoyed her company. I will miss her. We will miss Peter too. He became one of our good friends and we are sorry he had to move. We are thinking of Peter and share his deep sadness losing Susan.
With fond memories,
Karen and Mike Joyce
Susan always had a warm smile and a twinkle in her eyes, making everyone around her feel special. I was so fortunate to have met her several years ago in an art class at the North Shore Senior Center in Bothell. She invited my husband and me to her home to share a salmon dinner with her and her husband and we were friends ever since that day. Susan and I went to many painting classes together throughout the years, including a weekend workshop in Olympia. She stayed with us in our Ocean Shores home and commuted to Olympia each day for the workshop.
Susan was always ready for a new adventure and didn’t hesitate one second to accept my husband’s offer to teach her how to make marionberry jam.
Susan loved her husband, children and all her family members. We shared many stories about our children. My oldest granddaughter and Susan’s grandniece were about the same age and Susan organized crafting events that we enjoyed as much as the girls.
Susan and Peter invited us to their home in Florida and they were generous hosts, showing us around their beautiful area and taking us to the best seafood restaurant. We even had a trip to Aldi and several thrift shops in the area. We enjoyed every moment with them.
Susan was a friend I could call any time and I could tell her anything. We shared love of family, friends, art, and books. I treasured our friendship and she is missed so deeply, but I am so grateful for the time I knew her because she was a truly remarkable human being who was loved by many.