Susan Marie Riswick, 61, died in the arms of her loving husband, Ken, in the early morning of February 16 at her home in Mesquite, Nevada.

A celebration of her life will be held at the Sun City Mesquite Pioneer Center in the Veteran Memorial hall on February 28 from 3 to 5 p.m.

Susan was born to the late Donald Peper and Myrna Barr on July 3, 1958 in Salem, Oregon.  She graduated from North Salem High School in 1976 and shortly after went to work for the State of Oregon, having attained increasingly responsible positions over her 32-year career.  Her last position with the state before retiring was as the manager of the Public Employees Retirement System.

She and Ken met in 2004 and were married on January 15, 2007. They retired in 2010 and decided to move permanently to Mesquite, Nevada in 2011.  They loved the sun and enjoyed golf, pickleball, tennis and numerous other activities in the area.  Susan also became a talented painter expressing herself with vivid colors and subjects.

Ken and Susan also enjoyed traveling with friends to locations all over the world including a river cruise across Europe, sailing around the British Islands, Norway, Tahiti and the South Seas, New Zealand, Australia, Bali and Hong Kong.  However, her favorite place remained Hawaii where she had visited many times and expressed her desire for her ashes to be scattered in the waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands.

Susan is survived by her husband Ken; sons from a previous marriage, Kyle Columbus of Campbell, California and Chris Columbus of Portland Oregon; mother Myrna Peper of Salem, Oregon; sister Nancy Hewett (Doug) of Mesquite, Nevada;  brothers David Peper (April) of Yamhill, Oregon; step-daughter Julie Wert (Sean) of Forest Grove, Oregon; grandsons Mason and Blake, and niece Breanna.

Susan is preceded in death by her father Donald Peper and her brother James Peper.

Susan was dearly loved by the many friends she made in her retirement and in her hometown of Salem, Oregon.  They miss her laughter and energetic joy for life.