Alamosa resident Susan Kay “Soupe” Patterson passed away on April 7, 2015. She was born in Ft. Morgan, Colorado to Carol and Harold Patterson on April 6, 1960. She graduated from Ft. Morgan High School in 1978, earned her BA in art education in 1983, and her MA in art with an emphasis in ceramics and printmaking in 1986 from Adams State College.
Sue and Bill Mansheim married on October 15, 2004 at Boboli Gardens in Florence Italy with Steve Quiller presiding over the service.
Sue was a wonderful elementary art teacher for 25 years, touching the lives of countless young students, and mentoring many student teachers toward their teaching careers. She received the Colorado Elementary Art Teacher of the Year Award in 2009, and also served on the Colorado Creative Industries Council.
After retirement in 2011, she concentrated her efforts on her own artistic endeavors, producing beautiful paintings and dreaming up imaginative scrap-metal sculptures. She spent many fun hours “picking” through junk piles with family and friends to find just the right piece for her next creation. She planned to name her business “Metal-Morphosis”.
Her hobbies included gardening, cat rescue, hiking, cards and board games, and spending time laughing with her many friends and her family.
Sue is survived by husband, Bill Mansheim of the family home, daughters Maddie Mansheim (Deacon Aspinwall) of Alamosa and Nomi Mansheim of Salida, mother Carol (Baxter) Arnold of Sterling, sisters Jerilyn Hall of Brush, Peggy (Dwayne) Thompson of Ft. Morgan, brother Kirk (Lori) Patterson of Ft. Collins, father-in-law William Mansheim of Salida, brothers-in-law Rick (Kathy) Mansheim of Gillette, WY, Tom (Missy) Mansheim of Salida, nephews and nieces Luke Pennington, Ryan (Elizabeth) Thompson, Jana (Greg) Mondragon, Chad (Kacie) Patterson, Derek (Kaitlin) Patterson, Mark Patterson, great-nephews Lance, Morgen, and Lathaniel. Also survived by her cherished kitties Tweety, Cookie and Tangie.
Preceded in death by her beloved father, Harold Patterson, mother-in-law Pat Mansheim, and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
“Soupe” will be remembered for her mischievous grin, easy laughter, and great sense of humor. She was always ready with a joke or an amusing story to brighten everyone’s day. Sue was an amazing wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, and artist and she will be missed by so many.
Services will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2015, at Richardson Hall Auditorium on the Adams State University Campus at 2:00 pm. A wake will follow at the Student Union Building, Room 131 on the corner of 1st and Monterey. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Sue’s memory to the Sue “Soupe” Patterson Art Memorial Scholarship fund at 208 Edgemont Blvd., Alamosa 81101 or to the Valley Humane League.

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