Suzanne Julie Gardner

Suzanne Julie Gardner (Priske) passed away peacefully on June 5, 2025 at the age of 81 with her daughter and best friend, Michelle, as well as, caring nurses by her side at Pam Specialty Hospital in Sarasota after a long, brave battle with illness, where she fought the "good fight" to stay with her family and friends as long as possible and enjoy life to the fullest. 

Suzanne was born October 8, 1943, in Midland, Texas and raised in Dayton, Ohio by her parents, Helen Priske and Thomas Priske, where she attended Assumption Parish and Chaminade-Julienne Catholic High School. She lived in many places, but places she truly called "home" after Dayton were Atlanta, GA where she raised her daughters for 20 years as well as: Flat Rock, NC (5-7 yrs), and Port Charlotte/Punta Gorda, FL for the last 25 yrs to live near family and where she had a special place in her heart for her beloved granddaughter, Anna,whom she helped raise. She is survived by her daughters, Michelle Albert and Sally Stone, grandchildren: Anna Albert, Burkhardt Stone, and Liesl Stone, as well as siblings: Joseph Priske (Ann), Sally Pollet, Tim Priske (Ruth), and Mary Ann Oscar (Pete), and many beloved nieces and nephews. She is also survived by a special family friend, Robert Christiano, and her loving cat, Alexander. She is preceded in death by her son, Bret Chrisman, her parents, her best friends, Roberta and Mary, and her sweet dogs, Ginger and Missy.

Her careers and titles included her favorite job: being Mom and Grandma, but she also served as an Executive Secretary for House of Denmark, Storehouse Furniture, and "New Yorker” Magazine. In addition, she was a joint-owner and tour-director of a Travel Agency, and her favorite job and hobby was being an antique/decorative dealer and the shop owner of "Suzanne's Interiors". Her hobbies and interests included: studying/getting to know people, gardening (she always had a Green Thumb like her mom), cooking extraordinaire, decorating, antiques, reading, fashion/art, sunbathing, travel, crafts, current events, art fairs, and animals.  She loved caring for her family and home and had a special gift of hospitality. Her parties were 'legends' as she made all her own food, decorated "to the nines", and made everyone feel welcome. She would always tell you “like it is" and didn't mince words, but always with kindness, humor, and a "twinkle in her eye”. Suzanne had a "heart of gold" and would give you anything she owned, believing in treating everyone fairly and equally, and loved and forgave in a way that was truly special. She believed and showed what “living out your Faith” meant and what making a difference in this world means,while still having a flair all her own. She remembered people individually, each for their unique characteristics, always with a genuine compliment and people definitely remembered her as well, as she made them feel "seen" and always had a smile for them, whether she was sick or well. Suzanne was open-minded, well-versed, and was a "feminist" before the word existed... bold, caring, gracious, and full of love, she loved being with others and enjoying her family most. Suzanne strived to be a better person every day and taught that to others, and she loved to both laugh and enjoy "deep conversations”equally enjoying her Netflix as much as reality shows. Diet coke(w/extra ice!) and sweets were part of life's necessities for her, and she enjoyed them till the end... Suzanne was a joy to know and talk to, made a difference to many, and will be sorely missed. She watches and cares over us all from Heaven.

Her funeral mass Celebration will be on Friday, September 5, 2025, at St. Charles Bommero Church, 21505 Augusta Ave, Port Charlotte, FL, at 1:30 pm in the afternoon. Please join us to celebrate her life. Charlotte Memorial Gardens is in charge of funeral arrangements. We will be going to Red Lobster Restaurant after mass, as it was her favorite, and all are invited to join us. 

Memorial donations may be made in her name to The Lupus Foundation, AWL, or Suncoast Humane Society, The Asher House, St. Vincent de Paul, or Habitat for Humanity.