Suzanne Eder, 79, of Edwardsville, Illinois, succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease after an eight-year journey. She is survived by husband Douglas, and three children: one son Scott Eder and his wife Sara of Edwardsville plus her daughter Carly Davison and her husband Jeremy of St. Louis, Missouri; two daughters, Kelly Thompson-Hess and her husband Eric of Edwardsville, and Dana and her husband Aaron of Walnut Creek, California. Also present, are granddaughter Kayla Motl and her husband Ben of Edwardsville, two great grandchildren, Kendree and Rory Motl; and Sue’s two sisters, Beverly Elliott and her husband Jud of Chardon, Ohio, and Nancy Lohrey of Frederick, Maryland. Sue was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Ralph and Martha Lohrey of Cleveland, Ohio.

Sue was both a musician and a scientist. Sue graduated with distinction from Florida State University and received her second degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). As a soprano vocal musician, she sang choir and solo work for Edwardsville’s First Presbyterian Church and performed in tours of Eastern Europe, Great Britain, and Quebec. She spoke French fluently and studied for a time in Strasbourg, France. As a scientist, she learned scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in the laboratories of Nobel laureates at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas. She subsequently did SEM work at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (1978-2014) and at McDonnell-Douglas (now Boeing). While at McD-D / Boeing she held a secret clearance and was called on to do projects for NASA and the Pentagon. At SIUE, she taught many students, both undergraduate and graduate. She won numerous national and international awards for her photomicrography of very small things. Her work contributed to numerous publications, plus educational materials for middle- and high-school students. When choices arose between her career and her family, she always chose her children and family.

A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.

Suzanne valued her connections to her church, its choir, and its music. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the First Presbyterian Church, Edwardsville, Illinois are welcome, as are. contributions to Hospice, Order of St. Francis, Alton, Illinois.