As she had throughout her life, Susan “Sue” Teresa (Lowman) Hoots Pedersen, gathered her family and loved ones together, this time to be at her side as she passed from this life to the next on Saturday, September 10, 2022.
Sue was born in Anacortes, WA on February 10, 1942 to Katherine Verhoeff and Bill Lowman.
Sue was a brilliant, curious, driven, unique woman.
In addition to her surviving younger sisters, Claudia Lowman, Toni Vanavichai (Van) and Cynthia Khan (Dana); she grew up with Bobo the gorilla as a member of her family from 1951 until he relocated to the Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo in 1953.
Sue was the first female student body president of Anacortes High School where she graduated in 1960. She graduated from Washington State University as a member of Kappa Delta Sorority in 1964 becoming a lifelong Cougars fan. She went on to earn a teaching certificate from Western Washington University in 1965.
In August of 1972, Sue and her family moved to Bainbridge Island where she began her real estate career with John L. Scott, eventually becoming an incredibly prolific loan officer for Puget Sound Mortgage and Escrow. She helped countless families with mortgages for their dream homes on Bainbridge Island and around Kitsap County until she retired in 2007.
In November 1981, she married the love of her life, Carl. Together they danced, adventured and loved through their years together. They retired to Poulsbo, WA and Yuma, AZ after living for more than 25 years on Bainbridge Island.
Sue and Carl delighted in boating with their yacht club, RVing with friends in Arizona and Mexico, and dancing at the Sons of Norway. True to form, she was a past Commodore, as well as social chairman for multiple years of the Brownsville Yacht Club.
Sue surrounded herself with interesting people, sparky conversations and great music (especially 80’s country and 70’s soft rock). Wherever she was, she created a party. For years, she played Bridge every month with the same women. She bowled in a women’s bowling league and played softball. She loved dancing to, listening to and creating music! She played the piano, accordion, timpani and kazoo. (Even from her hospital bed she was orchestrating a nurses’ kazoo band.)
She was passionate about sports of all kinds (Go Cougs!). Constantly learning, Sue played along with Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy every day she could. She had a surprisingly tender heart— regularly sharing episodes of Eric’s Little Heroes with friends and family.
Sue is survived by her husband Carl Pedersen; her children Kris Hoots Thomas (Steve) and Don Hoots (Michele); her step-children Lisa Jacobson and Martin Pedersen (Lori); her grandchildren Danielle Pedersen, Katriana Zommers, Justin Jacobson, Talis Zommers and Pepper Hoots; as well as her sisters in law Shirley Sahleen (Jerry), Sandy Russell (Bob), Patty Barlow (Dave), Linda Thompson (Mike), Tina Schager (Vern) and Rae Anne Jordan (Jerry); and many cousins, nieces, nephew and dear friends.
Sue doted on her dog Bandit who was a part of every part of her life.
A memorial party (definitely not a “service”) will be held on October 16 at the Sons of Norway at 1:00 p.m. in Poulsbo, WA to sing, remember and celebrate Sue.
In lieu of flowers, gifts can be given in her honor to fredhutch.org.
If you would like to honor Sue and her legacy in a personal way: boldly wear purple (her favorite color), give a Gardenia to someone you love, make friends with a stranger and dance with abandon to music you love.
