Suzan Elizabeth Rhoads

Suzan Elizabeth Rhoads, age 54, of Mesquite, Texas, went to be with the Lord on March 30, 2017. Suzan was born at Methodist Hospital in Dallas, Texas on September 9, 1962, to Lucy Mae Cole Rhoads and Charles Stephen Rhoads. Her memorial service will be held at Fellowship Baptist Church in Forney, Texas, on April 5, 2017, at 1:00 pm. Suzan spent much of her life in Mesquite, Texas, but did live for brief periods of times in Arkansas and North Texas as the family moved for employment. She graduated from Mesquite High School in 1981. Suzan continued her education at Jacksonville College and the University of Texas at Arlington, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. When Suzan was 11 years old, she gave her life to Christ. She was baptized at Bethel Baptist Church in Dallas and spent much of her life as a member there. In recent years, she was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church in Forney, Texas. From an early age, Suzan always wanted to become a teacher and her great love was education. Suzan's teaching career began in 1986 at Bethel Christian School in Dallas, where she served the Lord for 16 years, teaching second grade and 5th-8th grade English and History. Moving to Rockwall Christian Academy in 2002, Suzan taught fourth grade until 2012. Suzan was an avid reader and historian and loved to travel and teach. As a member of the teacher's sorority, Delta Kappa Gamma, she served her community and her fellow teachers. Suzan was a sought-after conference speaker, a task that brought her joy. She believed teaching teachers was almost as important as teaching children. One of her favorite pastimes was working with children in a North Dallas Chinese school, where she was responsible for improving student’s English skills.In recent years, Suzan also became interested in needle crafts; unfortunately, her main pastime was visiting her doctors. In every circumstance, she always tried to spread joy and the love of Christ everywhere she went. Suzan is survived by her parents, Lucy and Steve Rhoads of Mesquite; and her sister, Jamie Coley, and husband, Shaun of Mesquite; dear aunts, uncles, cousins, and many friends.