Susan Baltrusaitis

Susan "Sue" Katherine (Slander) Baltrusaitis, 57, of Crosslake, formerly of Catawba, WI, and New Ulm, MN, died Friday, January 27, 2012 from cancer. There will be a celebration of her life at a later date.

Sue was born October 12, 1954, in New Ulm, the daughter of William and Lucille (Madsen) Slander. She attended and graduated from New Ulm Public Schools. She attended the St. Cloud School of Nursing and graduated as a Registered Nurse. On September 4, 1976, she was united in marriage to Jeff Baltrusaitis in New Ulm.

She worked as an RN at Sioux Valley Hospital in New Ulm until 1990 when they purchased a dairy farm in Butternut, WI. She also worked as a home winder of fishing rods for the St. Croix Company in Park Falls, WI. In 2000, they purchased a dairy farm in Catawba, WI. Sue started Willow Ridge, a home-based business, making soy candles, air fresheners, and bath and body products. On April 16, 2008, Jeff died in a farming accident. In April 2009, Sue moved to Crosslake and continued Willow Ridge and also worked part-time at Reed's Market until her illness. She enjoyed crafts, nature, feeding the hummingbirds, and her pets.

Sue is survived by her sister, Jane (Duane) Northouse, of Comfrey; mother-in-law, Doris Baltrusaitis, of New Ulm; brother-in-law, Jerry (Connie) Baltrusaitis, of New Ulm, sisters-in-law, Jill Bunting of Kodiak Island, AK and Joelle (Rich) Odeen, of Winona; several cousins; special friends, Kathy (Scott) Potter, of Crosslake and Chris (Mark) Kempen, of Catawba, WI; and her two cats, Zeb and Zeke. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; and father-in-law, George Baltrusaitis.