Susan Elaine Mills

Susan passed away at Lakepoint Nursing Home, El Dorado, Kansas, on March 9, 2019, from complications of multiple sclerosis.
She was born August 10, 1953, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Charles F. and Wilma C. Coley. Susan graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School, in Des Moines, in 1971. After graduation, she worked as a seamstress and managed the catalog and jewelry departments for JCPenney’s in several midwestern cities until returning to school and learning medical transcription following a move to Oregon. While working as a medical transcriptionist, she also served as a medical office manager. In 1995 she moved to the Kansas City area and was employed by a large medical practice and later by Brown-Mackie College, teaching medical transcription. Susan excelled at teaching and won several awards for this including multiple “Teacher of the Year”.   During this time she also did volunteer work for the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
While living in Kansas City, Susan was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. As her disease progressed she moved to El Dorado, Kansas, to be near family. Eventually her condition required residence at Lakepoint Nursing home in El Dorado, where she remained a resident for the ten years preceding her death.
Throughout the ordeal of her disease she remained positive and an inspiration to both her family and her friends. Susan was proud of her family and loved to talk about them with anyone that would listen.
Susan was preceded in death by her parents Charles F. Coley, and Wilma C. Coley. She is survived by: her son Richard Hartzer (Courtney) and children, Emily, Andrew and Audrey, her brother Dr. Michael E. Coley (Pam) and children Michelle (Coley) Bailey (Ryan), and Caitlin (Coley) McClelland (Robert), great nephew Colt Bailey and her stepmother Leah Coley.
A memorial service will be held at Carlson Colonial Funeral Home, 200 South Star, El Dorado, Kansas, on March 23, 2019, at 10:00 A.M.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Please sign her online guestbook and leave a memory of Susan at www.carlsoncolonial.com.

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