Susan Gill

The Prayer Service for Susan will be livestreamed. Please follow here

Susan Forkner Gill, 78, passed away peacefully Wednesday, January 29th, 2025, at her lake home in Pequot Lakes, MN, from cancer. She was surrounded by her family.

Susan Claire Forkner, was born March 19th, 1946 to Richard E. and Joyce May Forkner in Langdon, ND. Her parents and two older brothers, Earl and Mark, joyously welcomed her to the family. Susan’s musical education began at an early age with piano lessons from her mom, and when she was a little older, she traveled to Grand Forks by bus for violin lessons.

Susan graduated from Langdon High in 1964 and furthered her musical education at Concordia College, Moorhead, graduating in 1968 with a Bachelor of Arts in music education. She continued at Asbury Seminary in the fields of Christian education and Church Music. During this time she taught string methods at Asbury College and worked at the Blue Grass School as a musical therapist.

During this time she was the piano accompanist for a young tenor by the name of Zack Davis Gill. Two years later, on June 5, 1971 they were married. They celebrated their love and commitment with a 50th Wedding Anniversary in 2021 at Grandview Lodge in Nisswa Minnesota.

Speaking of Nisswa, this was home in a very special way for Susan. She first came to the area with her parents at the age of 18 months and continued to visit every year at various resorts and eventually Murmuring Pines, their lake home, on Clark Lake. It is fitting that her honeymoon as well as the last days of her earthly life were spent in this place that she loved so much. 

Jeremiah Richard was born on July 27, 1972 and was welcomed with loving arms into the family. Though Jeremy was limited by his disabilities, he was never limited in the love that he gave and was given. Susan and Zack started the first group home in North Dakota in order to serve children with severe disabilities, and Jeremy was a resident there. His little brother Joshua David, joined the family in October of 1985. Jeremy experienced heavenly healing when he passed on Dec. 18, 1986, and is now reunited with his mom.

Susan and Zack moved from Kentucky and lived in a variety of places including Grand Marais, MN, Hope, Mandan, and Fargo, ND and finally moved to Maple Grove, Minnesota in 1988.

Throughout these years Susan continued to share her musical gifts. She played in three different symphonies including the Fargo Moorhead Symphony, the Lexington Philharmonic, and the Bismarck Mandan Symphony. She taught private lessons for years to piano, violin and guitar students. She also shared her gift of music in churches at each of the locations where she resided.

Due to her experiences parenting Jeremy and Josh, ministries to people with disabilities and their families became a lifelong passion. She served as a coordinator for the Down Syndrome Association from 1992-1997. In 1999, Susan and Zack established JRG ministries which continues to provide fellowship, entertainment and spiritual growth for adults with disabilities through the ForEver Friends program. 

Susan brought so much light and joy to those who knew her. She created a home for her family wherever she lived filled with love and comfort and beauty. She enjoyed growing flowers and found so much pleasure in buying gifts for family and friends. Designing photo memory books and “cropping” as ScrapHappySue with her crew were some of her favorite activities. Most importantly, she lived a life of faith, worshipping God and sharing the gift of salvation with others.

Susan is survived by her husband, Zack Gill and her son, Joshua Gill, her sister-in-law Rosalee (Earl) Forkner, and her nieces and nephews, Beth (Bill) Moe, Jon Forkner, Lori (Roger) Fredlund, Mari (Steve) Radtke, Kent (Lisa) Forkner and Laura (Mike) Pritchard. 

Susan was preceded in death by her son, Jeremy Gill, her parents, Dick and Joyce Forkner, her brothers, Earl Forkner and Mark Forkner, and her sister-in-law Kay Forkner 

A prayer service will be held at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 1st, at Brenny Funeral Chapel in Pequot Lakes. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 on Saturday, February 22nd, at MapleRidge Church in Maple Grove, Minnesota, with time to visit with family an hour before the service. 

Memorial gifts may be made to JRG Ministries, Inc.

Arrangements are entrusted to Brenny Family Funeral Chapel, Pequot Lakes.