Susan Anne Gerhard

November 7, 1952 - August 26, 2018

Susan Anne Gerhard passed away peacefully August 26, 2018. She was born in Perryville, Missouri to the late Donald and Muriel [nee Huber] Beeson. She graduated from Rockhurst University and received her graduate degree from Lindenwood University. She touched many lives throughout her career as a counselor and psychologist. Susan was strong, independent, and a great thinker with an always curious and open mind. She was fascinated by the human condition and spent a great deal of time researching many topics; notably Vedanta, religion, mysticism, physics, yoga psychology, the role of spirituality in psychology and addiction, various healing modalities and integrative medicine. She found great joy in arranging flowers and spending time at the Vedanta Society of St. Louis. She loved the majesty and wonder in the natural world, and enjoyed hiking and bird watching. In her last years, she found great comfort playing the piano at Pratt Center between treatments, and enjoyed all of her friends at Mercy Integrative Health. She was a dearly beloved Nana and dedicated to being a positive. loving, and encouraging light for her grandchildren. She was a strong advocate for her granddaughter with Dup15q syndrome. Susan's sensitivity to her granddaughter, and her ability to have full communication in the absence of words, was a blessing that will be sorely missed. Her family is grateful they were able to surround her during her last days in the beautiful DeGreeff Hospice House. She was preceded in death by her parents and beloved eldest brother: David Beeson. Surviving are two children: Rebecca [Derek] Flieg of Eureka, MO and Brian [Elise] Gerhard of Denver, CO; two grandchildren: Selah and Noah; one sister in law: Diana Beeson; two brothers: Dan Beeson and Scott Beeson; and two sisters: Sally [Jeff] Suchman and Donna Tyree; nephews and nieces: Jessica(Morgan) Mundell, Alexandria Beeson, Tracy Beeson, Peter(Richie)Thelan, Rachel Beeson-Giles, Anna Gourdin and Jesse Williamson, Casey Gourdin, John David Cargle, Amanda(Nathan) Thwing, Garrett(Raquel) Beeson, Danielle Brickey, and Brianna Brickey.