Suzy A. Martin, 59

Suzy A. Martin died Oct. 11, 2023, in Coeur d’Alene with her husband, Kim, and brother, Dave, by her side. She was 59 years old. She passed peacefully in hospice while asleep.

She was born in July 1964 to Bill and Phyllis Beaufait in Missoula, Mont. The youngest of four, she had brothers: Dave, Paul and Mark to look up to as she grew up. She went to Hell Gate, then Big Sky High School where she made some lifelong friends.

She worked in construction, and then as a waitress. She loved waitressing, as she loved to help people and visit with strangers, and she had a wonderful amount of energy to share.

She moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in 1991 where she worked as a waitress/trainer at JBs family restaurant. There she met her husband, Kim Martin, whom she married in 1994. They enjoyed fishing, camping, boating, gardening and spent many vacations on the Oregon Coast. As the years went by, Suzy overcame significant handicaps due to crippling problems with her feet. She went on to work as a Paraprofessional at a local elementary school where she helped children learn to read. She had a childlike quality to her view on life and could connect with kids easily. Being with children, nurturing their reading, and seeing their accomplishments when they improved, made it her dream job. She was always excited to go to work and made good friends with her coworkers and the children she helped.

Suzy had a wonderful positive outlook on life. She loved to be silly. She always had a smile for everyone. She seemed to always remember friends’ birthdays and sent cards every single year. Her notes would always end with “I love you” and hearts. She would listen, really listen, to what you had to say. She saw the person inside of all of us regardless of skin color, personal preferences or physical appearance. She is dearly missed.

She is survived by her brothers, Dave, Paul and Mark, and by her husband, Kim.

If you would like to make a charitable donation in her memory, her favorite charities were: Companions Animal Center (Kootenai County Humane Society), 10275 N. Atlas Road, Hayden, Idaho. https://www.companionsanimalcenter.org/

Alzheimer's Association: https://act.alz.org/