Susan Venable

Susan Jane La-Pierre Venable, 87, of Jackson, passed away Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at Jackson Manor Nursing Home in Jackson.

She was born March 7, 1930, daughter of Guild Mazuret and Julia Lilly Mueller LaPierre in Cape Girardeau.

Susan and Gerald Fenton "Jerry" Venable were married May 30, 1952, at MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois.

Susan graduated from Jackson High School in May 1948 and was salutatorian of her class. She graduated from MacMurray College in May 1952 with a bachelor of science degree in music, majoring in public-school music and piano.

She was the band director for the Woodland School District, known at that time as Lutesville High School. She taught band, boys chorus, girls chorus, fundamentals in music and elementary music, directed the Christmas programs and was the co-sponsor of the freshman class. She taught at the school from 1952 to 1955.

After starting a family in the spring of 1955, she taught private piano lessons in her home, at one point having up to 28 students a week. Throughout her career, she hosted piano recitals featuring her students, entering many of them in the National Federation of Music Clubs Junior Festival, with several of them winning gold cups.

Susan was an active member of the Southeast Missouri Teachers Association, Missouri Music Teachers Association, Music Teachers National Association and Community Concert.

She taught from 1955 to 2011, 56 years. In her last few years of teaching piano, she taught a second generation of students, children of her former students.

Susan was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson and served as choir director for 20 years. She was a former Sunday-school teacher and elder on the session and had served as treasurer. She was awarded the Presbyterian Women Lifetime Membership Honor and was a member of many of the women's church circles.

She was an active member of the PEO Chapter DJ of Jackson for over 60 years. She also served on numerous committees and was president from 1999 to 2001.

Loving survivors include five children, Daryl Fenton Venable of Indianapolis, Eric Guild (Martha) Venable of Jackson, Stuart Wayne (Bobbie) Venable of Springfield, Missouri, Linda Susan (Stephen VanAmburg) Venable of Jackson and Steven Mark (Cheryl) Venable of Marietta, Georgia; six grandchildren, Marisa Denise (Chris) Meyer, Jessica Sue (Darin) Teague, Isaac Guild (Amber) Venable, Jeb Stuart (Laura) Venable, Major Sherman Fenton (Allison) Venable and Nathan Christian Venable; three great-grandchildren, Tucker Wayne Teague, Carter Raymond Teague and Scout Avabelle Venable; and a sister, Margaret Wilkening of East Lansing, Michigan.

In addition to her husband of over 64 years, Jerry Venable, she was preceded in death by her parents and a brother-in-law, Donald Wilkening.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson and after 9 a.m. Friday at the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson.

A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the church, with the Rev. Grant Gillard officiating. Interment will follow in Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church in Jackson or to the Julia LaPierre and Susan Venable Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting mccombsfuneralhome.com.