Obituary of Suzanne Freeman

Suzanne Hill Freeman Mrs. Freeman, 59, of Denver, NC, died Saturday, May 26, 2012 at her residence. She was born March 15, 1953, in Lexington, NC, a daughter of Gene and Sue Hill of Pinnacle, NC and was raised in Winston-Salem. Mrs. Freeman grew up in a spiritual family environment. As the oldest of five children, her path was forged early in life. She often played nurse as a small child, but was always in charge. With a strong spiritual base, passion, integrity and a sense of purpose, Suzanne followed a set of tenets that helped her succeed in everything she did. Her family and her faith were most important. She married her husband John in 1975 in Charlotte and together they raised three children who were her pride and joy. She rounded out a full home life in the church where she taught Sunday school and Confirmation to the youth. Suzanne began her career as a staff nurse at CMC in 1975 after graduating from UNC Charlotte. Within six months she was in a leadership position in her department. As she mastered various leadership skills, her responsibilities increased and she steadily rose through the ranks at CMC, from novice nurse to a chief nurse executive, then vice president. In 2000, she was named president of the health care organization. At the same time, she was able to balance her role as a wife and mother to three children ? and learn about her inner strength in the process. Suzanne treasured education and considered it her continuing obligation. She believed that you must be firm, resolute and committed in your beliefs and actions. Suzanne believed in learning from your mistakes and in using those mistakes to make sure that you made better decisions in the future. She considered various avenues of approach when making a decision. Suzanne valued people and surrounded herself with people who exuded the qualities she valued. Mrs. Freeman loved having a career that allowed her to make a difference in patient health and comfort. Suzanne inspired colleagues to provide compassionate care in creative and innovative ways, and to work to improve the efficiency and delivery of health care continually excited her. In addition to her parents, Mrs. Freeman is survived by her husband, John Freeman of Denver, NC; children, Jason Freeman and wife, Katie of Charlotte, NC, Stefanie Freeman of Charlotte, NC and Kathryn Freeman of Denver, NC; grandchildren, Jack and Claire Freeman, who referred to Suzanne as Sadie, and her siblings, Sharon Schoderbek and husband, Charlie of Pinnacle, NC, Brenda Mickey and husband, Chris of Tobaccoville, NC, Sandra Westmoreland and husband, Phillip of Rural Hall, NC and Eugene Hill, Jr. of Winston-Salem, NC. ?My life?s success is going to be measured by what I leave behind: children who are going to make the world a better place than they found it; a health care organization that can sustain any whims of time, and the people I have impacted and are now future leaders. And it?s going to be a life well-lived with a spiritual and moral compass.? Funeral service for Mrs. Freeman will be held 11:00 AM Thursday, May 31, 2012, at Christ Lutheran Church, 4519 Providence Rd., Charlotte, NC 28226. Interment will follow in Sharon Memorial Park. The family will receive friends Wednesday evening, May 30, 2012, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Hankins & Whittington Funeral Service. Memorials may be made to: The Suzanne Hill Freeman NC Medical Society Leadership Scholarship, In care of Carolinas HealthCare Foundation PO Box 32861 Charlotte, North Carolina 28232 The scholarship was established by Carolinas HealthCare System in honor of Suzanne?s personal dedication to the development of leadership skills in all medical professionals. Suzanne was particularly interested in advancing the leadership skills of nurses and in creating excellence in communications between nurses and physicians. In establishing the scholarship Carolinas HealthCare System included in its communication to the North Carolinas Medical Society, ?Suzanne is a tireless champion of the highest standards of leadership among all professionals in healthcare, and a caring advocate for the people we serve.?