Ms. Sue Ellen Hargis' Obituary
Sue Ellen Hargis, 76, of Madison, TN. died at home in the early morning of October 27, 2015. She was born on September 1, 1939 in Ewing, Illinois to Frank A. Hargis and Ethel Pearl (Neal) Hargis. Both parents have preceded her in death. She is survived by her maternal aunts, Mildred (late Edwin) Koerner, Warsaw, Indiana; Faye M. (late Norbert) Klosowski, Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Loretta (James) Odom of Benton, Illinois. In addition, she is survived by fifteen Neal Family cousins and their families. At our maternal grandmother’s urging, Sue has promoted family unity.
Sue Ellen’s family home was located in Frisco, Illinois. A small rural farming community, as documented in Northern Township Franklin County, Illinois: A History: “ a town that doesn’t even qualify as a village, since a single church, a couple of houses and a century old store building are all that’s there”. Frank and Pearl Hargis ran that store from 1945 until 1979. Sue graded eggs with her dad, made deliveries to farm homes, much like the Pea Pod Delivery Service of today, with one difference: there was no delivery charge. If someone needed “kerosene and a heat lamp for a litter of pigs on a Sunday night, they would call the Hargis house, and it was taken as a matter of course. Sue's mom taught her the art of home cooking and baking. The Oak Ridge Boys dined at their table and raved about Ms. Pearl's fried chicken. Sue kept “Pearl’s Recipes” and they are a family treasure. Sue loved her family gatherings and the conversations would always include fun and much laughter. She chaperoned the Scouts on a trip out West to the national parks, trips to Florida, and girls' road trips to shop in Knoxville or the outlet malls in Georgia or the annual fall weekend trip to Bell Buckle with her cousins. Her favorites were: a waffle for breakfast, topped with peanut butter and strawberry jelly, Mexican food - the hotter the better - and at 3 p.m., coffee was served with a few cookies and white powdered donuts. It wasn’t Christmas unless her tree was trimmed in silver and blue.
Sue left Frisco, IL in 1977 for the Nashville area. She moved to the Berkley Hills Apartments and became an Administrative Assistant for a title company in Madison. Her parents came to live with her as they aged, and she cared for them both in her home. She has been an active member of City Road Chapel United Methodist Church. The family is grateful to the church members who supported her during last two years of illness with cards, phone calls, meals and their prayers. Special thanks are given to her dear close friends, Pam and Marika who were there for her on a daily basis.
Arrangements for a Memorial Service are pending and will be posted on this website. Spring Hill Funeral and Cemetery, located at 5110 Gallatin Road, is assisting the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to City Road Chapel United Methodist Church, 701 Gallatin Road, South, Madison, TN 37115..
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