Obituaries

Susan Laz Vogus was born Susan Leslie Laz on July 5, 1947, in Aurora, Illinois to Bette and Lee Laz. She peacefully passed away surrounded by her family on January 19, 2023. Laz, as she was known to her friends, was an admired, beloved, and impactful activist, advocate, educator, leader, mother, and sister.

Her early life in Aurora was idyllic filled with imagination, music, and stories galore among her and her lifelong confidantes and close friends – the “Laz girls,” her sisters Barby, Peggy, and Laurie. She subsequently graduated from West Aurora High School and from University of Illinois with a degree in Secondary Education with a focus on Math.

While working at Tops Big Boy in Aurora during the summers back home from college, she met the love of her life, Jerry Vogus. It was like a movie script, she was a waitress, he was a short order cook. And they never left each other’s side, marrying in 1969 and having a lifetime of adventures and homes filled with memories, music, and ephemera from those diner days. Laz and Jer were full partners in all they did and perfect complements to each other. They were the model of a loving and supportive marriage. Their home was always filled with great food and big laughs, where everyone was welcome and made to feel like family. Laz was also an expert baker of cakes, cookies, confections, and sweets of all varieties and she delighted in sharing her passion with her children and grandchildren. Their Christmas party (and later their 4^th of July party) were events around which everyone organized their holiday calendar because it was guaranteed to be memorable and joyous.

Laz passionately pursued creating equal opportunity for everyone and helping every person move in the direction of their dreams throughout her life. She was a uniquely skilled listener. It enabled her to help people crystallize their goals often in ways they would not have otherwise seen. She was also always there to celebrate, champion, and support everyone in her life, especially her sons Tim and Mike. People eagerly and widely sought her counsel as a result. She believed in the power of education and everyone having access to a high-quality school and a loving home where they could feel secure and supported. She created that for her family and was an outstanding teacher whether serving students in inner city Milwaukee or those pursuing a GED at the Illinois Youth Center. Later, she served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) helping children navigate the child welfare system, for which she was recognized as Illinois CASA Advocate of the year in 2004. Her passion for community organizing and creating equal opportunity also extended the political realm when she enthusiastically and extensively canvassed for then Senator Barack Obama in Iowa in his first bid for the presidency.

She also saw the power of systems to provide educational opportunity. So, she focused on becoming a highly effective educational leader and policy maker who successfully organized a referendum for District 303 to ensure schools were adequately funded. She served as a member and president of the District 303 school board. She also developed legislation to fund schools more sustainably and equitably in Illinois. That required understanding financing of schools, fortunately she had burnished those skills by serving as a tax preparer at H&R Block and by being the Treasurer to Jerry’s President of their business the Cumberland Group. Her teaching and policy work had her recognized by President George H.W. Bush as one of his 1,000 Points of Light.

She is survived by and missed by Jerry, her two children, and their families: Tim Vogus of Brentwood, TN (wife Jen, son Aidan, and daughter Eleanor) and Mike Vogus of Downers Grove, IL (wife Kate and daughters Maggie and Lucy). She is also survived and lovingly remembered by her sisters, their husbands, and her nieces and nephews.

As a woman of action who always focused on service to others, she would appreciate being remembered through efforts to help others. As a person who always put family first, she would also love to be remembered with stories and songs of fun or memorable times had with her and her family. We will have such a celebration of her life at a place that was meaningful to her, when all can gather, this Spring. In lieu of any flowers, she would like any donations to go to her daughter-in-law Jen’s non-profit serving young adults with disabilities, and was inspired by Laz’s activism, AbleVoices (www.ablevoices.org/donate).

For information, please call Yurs Funeral Home, St. Charles 630-584-0060

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