1970 – 2015
Susie was born Susanne Lea Murphy on June 17, 1970 in Seattle, WA to Tim and Annie Murphy.
She grew up in Kirkland and graduated from Lake Washington High School in 1988. She loved horses and spent many hours growing up riding her horses on the trails around Rose Hill. She loved everything about them and could spend hours in a stable just breathing in the “sweet smell” of horses.
Susie also had a passion for people. She loved to know everyone’s story and made it her goal to remember names with all the faces. She welcomed strangers into her life and they would become part of the family, keeping in touch with cards for every occasion. Susie had a smile that would light up a room and loved to laugh, using her dry sense of humor to keep things fun. She had a servant’s heart and loved to “do” for others; in her wake was found clean living rooms and pristine gardens. It brought her great joy to be able to fill a need in someone’s life, whether they were aware it was her or not.
She met Joel Blockhan on a return trip to her grandparents’ hometown of Bonners Ferry, Idaho and the two were married on June 1st 2001. Together they raised three beautiful children: Mary, Jacob and Sam. They were her pride and joy. She dedicated herself to them, selflessly giving of herself and fighting for as much time as possible to spend with them. She enjoyed surprising them and created many fun traditions. She passed along her love of puzzles and photos to each of them. As they grew, she taught them about leaving things better than they found them – inside and out.
More than anything else, Susie was a woman of profound, yet simple, faith. Her faith and prayer life sustained her through the daily trials – great and small – that she encountered in her life. She gave of herself to her faith community at Holy Family in many ways over the years as: a lector, classroom volunteer, lunchroom volunteer, recess monitor, answering phones, used uniform sales, newcomers committee, Bible study leader, money counter, volunteer receptionist, office support and more. She loved interacting with the great variety of people she met at church and was always ready to lend a hand. She was dependable and energetic, dedicated to doing her best in every situation.
Susie was taken into the arms of her Savior on August 25, 2015 after a well-fought 10 year battle with diagnosed Breast Cancer that later metastasized to her bones in January of 2012. She dedicated herself to the service of others, especially her neighbors in Patterson Park, heedless of the cost to herself. Her love for gardening and making things beautiful rendered her tired, immobile, and at times injured, but she could not tell herself “no, me first.” This was a great lesson that she silently taught to others around her.
We are comforted to know that she is in the arms of our Lord, but saddened that she was taken from us so soon. We are grateful to the many wonderfully loving and caring people who worked tirelessly to help Susie live as long as she could from the Cancer Care Alliance and those at Evergreen Hospice who provided so much dignity and care to her as she lived out her final days. She will be greatly missed by her friends, loved ones and her faith community, especially her husband and children: Joel, Mary, Jacob and Sam.
Sunday, August 30th, 6:30pm Viewing and 7:00pm Rosary @ Holy Family Parish
Monday, August 31st, 10:15am Viewing and 11:00am Mass and Reception @ Holy Family Parish. At 2:30pm, the Committal Service will take place at Holy Rood Catholic Cemetery. This is open to all who would like to join the family.
Susie loved the color yellow and we are suggesting that people wear some yellow to honor her.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Susie’s name to Holy Family Parish, 7045 120th Ave NE, Kirkland, WA 98033 or to “The Blockhan Children College Fund”. All college fund donations can be written out to John Hancock, with Mary, Jacob, and Sam Blockhan written on the memo line, then mailed to Theresa Opitz, Attn: Blockhan Children College Fund, 16 217th Place SE, Bothell, WA 98021.