Susan Crow Bagwell Obituary

Posted on by Elizabeth
Bagwell

always a beautiful lady – inside and out

(video of the Lake Toxaway Methodist Church service and celebration of her life is posted at the bottom of this page)

Susan Crow Bagwell, age 78, of Lake Toxaway, NC entered the kingdom of Heaven on August 12, 2020 after an extended illness of ALS and now is in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

She died peacefully as her body gave way to victory and she died with gratitude for a life blessed by dear family and friends. George and she were grateful for the many prayers to sustain them through her illness.

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favorite daughter #1

 

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favorite daughter #2

a pause at the Biltmore Estate
The Champion and the Scorekeeper (and also Champion!)

Susan was born on May 9th, 1942 in Clarksville, TN. She graduated from Clarksville High School in 1960 and continued her education at Lindenwood College and Vanderbilt University. While attending Vanderbilt, she was an active member of Kappa Delta Sorority. 

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a flock of crows! Wally, Susan, Laura, John and little Thomas who is growing up in Susie’s childhood home in Clarksville

big brother and the family home
Cousins!
Gardens!

click on any picture on this page to enlarge

On December 28th, 1963, she married George Earle Bagwell III and moved to Montgomery, AL where she resided for 50 years. Susan was a devoted Christian and an active member of First United Methodist Church. She was active in community affairs and was a FUMC church volunteer where she served in many capacities, among them, The Administrative Board, Board of Trustees, the Building Committee and the Interiors Committee.

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we had the best mother! (and father!)

 

3 generations – Susan, Sarah Catherine, and Catherine
family love
waterfalls and picnics and Forrest

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sharing the joy

Susan and George became a part of the Lake Toxaway, NC community in 2002 where they became active members of Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church. They became permanent residents in 2013.  She volunteered in all capacities and welcomed everyone she met with exceeding hospitality. No one was a stranger to Susan. She loved nature in its every presentation and was never far from a garden.

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Let’s play croquet! All white! Chris, Emily, Wade, Elizabeth, Susan, George, Sarah, Will

 

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Family fun! George, Big George, Forrest, Susie, Sarah Catherine, Hampton, Catherine

 

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Merry, merry Christmas 2019

 

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so many caring friends

the great croquet affair!

 

Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Horace Stout Crow and Bessie Bryan Crow, her brother, Bryan Crow of Clarksville and her parents-in-law, George Earle Bagwell, Jr. and Margaret Hannon Bagwell of Montgomery. She is survived by her husband, George, her daughters Elizabeth Ficken (Wade) of Cary, NC and Catherine Hook (Hampton) of Montgomery, AL, her grandchildren, Will Ficken (Sarah) of Atlanta, GA, Emily Nelsen (Chris) of Cary, NC, Forrest Hook and Sarah Catherine Hook of New York, NY, and George Hook of Montgomery, AL, and her great-grandchildren Claire and Caleb Ficken and Brooks Nelsen. She is also survived by her brother Wally Crow of Clarksville, TN, sister-in-law, Dawn Crow of Clarksville, TN, brother-in-law, Woody Bagwell (Sara) of Montgomery, AL, sister-in-law, Tempie Sharley (Todd) of Birmingham, AL and many cousins, nephews and nieces whom she loved very dearly. 

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George’s 80th birthday celebration

Susan’s life will be celebrated at a private family service. 

This I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.”

Lamentations 3:21-24

If you wish to celebrate Susan’s life, memorials may be sent to Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church General Contributions,  P.O. Box 83, Lake Toxaway, NC 28747; First United Methodist Church Outreach   P.O. Box 6150 Montgomery, AL 36106; or The ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI) 300 Technology Square, Suite 400, Cambridge, MA 02139.

Click here for to give to Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church

Click here to give to First United Methodist Church Outreach Ministries Montgomery, AL 

Click here to give to the ALS Therapy Institute

 
The following hymn is very special to our family for many reasons, so beautiful and appropriate in this moment. This is the truth that we believe and live, and while we grieve our earthly loss, we wait with hope until we join Susie and see the lights of glory in the kingdom of Heaven.
 
God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives
 
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living, just because He lives
 
And then one day, I’ll cross the river
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain
And then, as death gives way to victory
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He reigns

 

The following comments were shared by Susan’s dear friend and minister Reverend Marcus Dodson  of Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church in his weekly bulletin:

I know many of you, like I, experienced the incredible gift of Christian hospitality from Susan Bagwell. Her faithfulness in life and in her illness have been a ministry to most of us. Her death reminds me how much we need each other and how challenging our present situation makes it for us to comfort and remind each other of God’s faithful promise of eternal life and resurrection from the dead. Susan’s most prominent spiritual gift, hospitality, needs to be celebrated and might point us to an understanding of how to approach the lessons in Romans and Matthew.

Susan once shared with a dying friend that she was about to take the best trip ever. She would especially want you to know how to join her in Heaven. Simply acknowledge that God is holy and you are not. Confess your sin to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you and He will give you new, eternal, abundant life. For more information on heaven, click here.

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She counted monarchs! – such a wonderful analogy of what we experience – the transformation from creepy, crawly caterpillars to beautiful, floating butterflies – 2 Cor 5:17 If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old is gone, the new has come!

This page was created by George, Elizabeth and Catherine with love and delightful memories of his beloved wife and their precious mother.

Click the video below for special moments from December 2019. For better resolution and display, click the “expand / full screen” icon in lower right corner. (Looks like an X)

Susan’s middle name was Carol, and she always loved all the Christmas carols!

Everything she touched was made perfectly glorious.

 

Our family all participated in the celebration of Susan’s life, and the celebration that she enjoys even now. Lake Toxaway United Methodist Church and Marcus Dodson are their family in Christ.

In the service, all the singing is led by Susan’s granddaughter Sarah Catherine Hook, the scriptures are read by grandchildren Forrest Hook, Will Ficken, Emily Nelsen, and George Hook. You’ll even hear a few sounds from the great-grandchildren Claire, and babies Caleb and Brooks who were in attendance. The family eulogies were shared by daughters Elizabeth Ficken and Catherine Hook.

 

Susan Crow Bagwell Obituary

16 thoughts on “Susan Crow Bagwell Obituary”

  2. We are so very sorry for your loss.
    Susan was such a very special and beautiful lady. She always welcomed us with her beautiful smile and grace.
    We will miss her terribly but know that she is in her eternal home now and disease free.
    Her memory will live in our hearts forever.
    Sue and John Thomas

    Liked by 1 person

  3. This is an amazing tribute to an absolutely precious lady! I enjoyed being friends with y’all’s elegant mother. She was a great role model for me while growing up! Love to you all, Marti

    Liked by 1 person

  5. She gave us such a gift of her presence while she was with us…..she has left us with the gift of her unwavering faith and deep joy of life in her Homegoing. How blessed we are to call her friend……

    Liked by 1 person

  7. This is the most beautiful presentation of Susan’s Life. She would be so pleased with your creativity and selection of photographs. I’ll miss her so much. She is with me as I think of all the fun times we shared with Family and the lovely gatherings at her beautiful home in Montgomery. Love to each of you.
    Sylvia and Wallace

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  8. Susan epitomized a southern lady! Her smile radiated joy. Her faith sustained her with grace through her earthly challenge. She will be missed. The Toxaway community has lost a sweet person and heaven has surely gained an angel. Much love to George and the rest of the Bagwell family.

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  9. A beautiful tribute to a beautiful woman. We will remember Susan for her warm, welcoming smile and heart full of joy and love. She had such a special way of reaching out to everyone. It was special to know her and she will be missed.

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  10. What a wonderful lady, and such a great couple! I count myself as being blessed that I was lucky enough to get to know both Susan and George these last few years. Susan always made everyone around her feel welcome and loved. We will all miss her beautiful smile, but look forward to meeting again!

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  11. Our thought and prayers are with you and your family. Your sweet mom was a blessing to all of us. We will miss her and her smile that brightened the day for us all and made us feel so welcome.
    Love,
    Melodie, Cody, Cody, and Justin Jones

    Liked by 1 person

  12. My husband and I have been stuck in Houston this summer and the news of Susan’s death was both heartbreaking (because she will no longer be part of my earthly world in LT), but also a relief because Susan knew without question where her permanent home would be, she is there now and eternally free of pain. Thank you Elizabeth from the deepest recesses of my heart for the beautiful, loving writing about Susan and so many photographs of her where she most loved to be…with her family and close friends. She and George were our nearest neighbors for over 10 years. I will never forget one of the first times I saw her “down the hill” in the golf cart tending her beloved flowers. In my raggedy jeans and T-Shirt, I strolled over to visit. I was a bit nonplussed to see that she was in spotless white capris, with a lovely crisp shirt, perfectly done nails, makeup and hair. She had the most engaging smile, a voice and accent that spoke kindness and a radiance that as I learned over the years was a direct result of her unwavering, all encompassing faith. Even though Susan and I were different in too many ways to count, she always welcomed me for conversation, shared her extensive knowledge about our great community and made sure to check in on us regularly. ( She & George were our bear experts and I will treasure among others my memories of her voice up the hill saying “ shoo Bear…you go on now” as some juvenile was trying once again to access her bird feeders). Even in the throes of her illness, which frankly caused me to be just a little mad at God because it seemed so unfair, Susan remained steadfast and in fact continued to be an encourager for me and so many others…in my book that is everything and more we are asked to do as followers of Jesus. One last word…about George…no husband could have been more faithful, caring and loving than George was over the last two years…I know his strength came from his own deep faith, God’s love for him and the support of their children and family. We prayed for both George and Susan everyday…but surely the agony must at times have seemed unbearable…yet he persevered with God’s help, his family’s love and the community’s support. We have the greatest respect for George and all of the faithful members of the Bagwell family, especially Elizabeth and Catherine. Please know this…my husband and I consider ourselves truly blessed by God to have had Susan and George as neighbors in our little corner of heaven at Lake Toxaway.

    Liked by 1 person

  14. Your mom was beautiful inside and out. You take after her. I will be praying for you in the days and weeks ahead. Hugs, Norma

    Sent from my iPhone

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