Susanna "Sue" Smith

Susanna D. “Sue” Smith, age 58 of Albany, passed away after a courageous 18 month battle with pancreatic cancer on Thursday, December 1, 2022 at her home in Albany, Minnesota, with her family by her side.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, December 6 at Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Albany with Rev. Julius Beckermann, O.S.B. officiating. Inurnment will be held at a later date at St. Benedict’s Cemetery in Avon. Military honors will be provided by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and from 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Tuesday at the Seven Dolors Gathering Area in Albany. Parish prayers will be held at 4 p.m. Monday evening in the gathering area.

Susanna Delorse Blonigen was born September 6, 1964 in Melrose, Minnesota to Leander and Annette (Gertken) Blonigen. She graduated from Melrose High School and served in the U.S. Army National Guard for four years. She was united in marriage to William “Bill” Smith on May 23, 1987 at St. Martin Catholic Church in St. Martin. Sue worked at Fingerhut for 19 years prior to owning and operating her painting business, Sue Smith Painting and Staining.

She was a member of Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Albany where she served as usher. Sue was an avid outdoors person who enjoyed fishing, deer hunting, and snowmobiling. She enjoyed traveling, especially her trips to Italy, Yankton, Boston, California, Florida, and always looked forward to her yearly fishing trip to Pine River. She very rarely sat still and was always busy doing something. Sue loved her family, especially her five granddaughters.

Survivors include her husband, Bill Smith of Albany; daughters, Christine (Keith) Steichen of Sauk Centre and Elizabeth (Jordan) Pansch of Fargo; grandchildren, Kelsie, Kylie, Cora, Willow, and Autumn; mother, Annette Blonigen of St. Martin; brothers and sisters, Theresa (Jerome) Eichers of Avon, Michael (Marsha) Blonigen of Albany, James (Kimberly) Blonigen of Fort Meyers, Florida, Thomas (Judy) Blonigen of Paynesville, Lori Rose (Brian) Mackedanz of Paynesville, Andrew (Leigh Ahles) Blonigen of St. Martin, Martin (Jessica) Blonigen of St. Martin, and Jeremiah (Carene) Blonigen of Freeport; and many loving relatives and friends.

Sue was preceded in death by her father, Leander Blonigen on January 9, 2020; one unborn grandchild; father and mother-in-law, Donald and Renee Smith; and brother-in-law, Terry Strack.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.