12/27/2021
The Dog Dive staff says good-bye to longtime friend and customer, Susan Perkowski. Susan and her dogs Mills, Scotia, Fast Eddie and Robbie were beloved members of the local dog community. We got used to cries of, "Fast Eddie - we know Fast Eddie!" whenever his name was on the swim board. Robbie developed her love of water here. We already miss her sense of humor, book discussions and gentle kindness. Good-bye for now, Susan.
Mary, Darryl and Beth
We have been asked to post her obituary on our site:
Susan E. Perkowski, 70, passed away peacefully with friends at her side on December 21, 2021, at North Woods Village in Kalamazoo.
Sue was a left-leaning liberal and a fiercely independent soul who lived a simple life and was quietly committed to her heartfelt beliefs.
Susan entered this world in Kalamazoo, on March 5, 1951, the middle child and only daughter of Virginia (Baxter) Cleworth and Joseph Perkowski, both deceased. She spent her early years in Plainwell, Michigan, where her commitment to her beliefs were first exposed. She was an active participant in protest efforts against the war in Vietnam and in high school was expelled from the National Honor Society for refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
Susan graduated from Plainwell High School and went on to earn a degree in Anthropology from Western Michigan University. She put that Anthropology degree to good use in her 40-plus-year career as a cashier/customer service professional at Meijer in Kalamazoo. Through her career at Meijer, Sue made many lifelong friends and weekly acquaintances and inherited carpal tunnel, sore feet, and two new hips.
Upon retirement from Meijer, Sue was able to follow her passions. She was happiest reading a good book, watching Masterpiece Theatre on PBS, walking a trail, or throwing a stick or tennis ball for her dogs on the beach. It wasn’t long after retirement that Sue was able to act on her newest passion: DOG AGILITY! Susan and “Mills,” “Fast Eddie,” and “Scotia” had many hours of joy and earned numerous ribbons in agility and nose work.
She is survived by brothers Michael (Jean) Perkowski of Sedro Woolley, Washington, and Steven (Sue) Perkowski of Plainwell; niece and nephews Amy, Andy, and Tom of Washington and Steven of Michigan; and close cousins Terry Baxter of Kalamazoo and Judy Stevens of Indiana.
Susan leaves behind wide and varied groups of friends whose concentric circles continue to cross paths. No matter which circle you find yourself a part of, she leaves us all with these adages to live by:
Read a Book, Take a Walk, Call Your Family, Cherish Your Friends,
Share a Smile with a Stranger, and Never Pass Up the Opportunity to Pet a Dog
In her true style of unselfish causes and as per her wishes, Susan’s body has been donated to Western Michigan University’s Homer Stryker School of Medicine.
No services are scheduled at this time. Memorial donations may be directed to:
The Dog Dive, LLC, 1613 Riverview Drive, Kalamazoo, MI 49004, or to an animal shelter/rescue of your choice.
