Susan Gohn

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate a little thing called life—Susan Scott Eckel Gohn’s life to be precise. On December 3, 2023 she took her last breath on earth and set off on her next adventure. She was 77 years old. Susan was born in Knoxville, TN on May 23, 1946 to parents Jane Scott Seymour Eckel and James Robert Eckel. She was the younger sister to James Robert Eckel, Jr. (Jim) whom she enjoyed getting reacquainted with since his move back from California. Her childhood was spent in and around the UT campus where she lived and played with her closest cousin friends Ward, Arthur, and Elizabeth (Eschbach) Seymour whom she loved dearly. She attended Staub Elementary, Tyson Junior High, and West High School (1964). In junior high, she met a feisty girl named Sue Anne Evans (Jones) and they remained BFFs for the past 63 years sharing laughs, tears, drinks, and secrets. After high school, she went on to graduate from the University of Tennessee where she received dual degrees in Child Development/Education and Zeta Tau Alpha in 1968; both remaining important throughout her life. She loved telling the story of riding a school bus over the tail of the dragon to a ZTA formal. The beer wasn’t the only thing that made the girls sick on that trip! Susan married David Merle Gohn in 1970—moved to Richmond, VA, quickly realized that she couldn’t have her mom’s fried chicken, rice and gravy, and sweet tea, and high tailed it back to Knoxville where she settled down with Dave to wrangle their 5 children Jennifer, Scott (Allison), Katie (William), Andy, and Amanda and their 12 grandkids Lauren, Alyssa, Jackson, Mary, Ryan, Alex, Whitney, Addison, Erin, Jane, Beatrice, and Oliver. She cheered them on at countless ball games, dance recitals, concerts, weddings, graduations, and birthday parties, never forgot to send a card on special occasions, and took in more than one of their dogs when they needed a home. Not only did she help raise her own brood, but she spent 33 years teaching hundreds of kindergartners at South Knoxville Elementary School where she earned Knox County Teacher of the Year honors and was loved by her students and colleagues. In retirement, she traveled the US, soaked up the sun in Mexico, and cruised down rivers in France and Germany. She had a soft spot for rescue dogs, adopting many throughout her life. She was a voracious reader, a lover of every NCIS show ever made, coffee, peppermint stick ice cream, lemon-scented anything, feeding birds and squirrels, a quiet beach, UT football, Lady Vols basketball, and decorating for all the holidays. Susan was a lifelong Episcopalian and member of St. John’s Cathedral where she was christened, confirmed, married, and will be laid to rest. She loved her church community and the ladies in the Daughters of the King, singing in the choir as a child, the Christmas Eve service, and the love she felt from fellow parishioners and clergy. We are glad to know she’ll never miss a service or coffee minute. Most of all she was just our mom, wife, grandmother, sister, daughter, cousin, and friend. She loved and was loved and we will celebrate her now and to the end of time. In lieu of flowers and to honor her life, please consider making a donation to Small Breed Rescue of East TN https://sbret.com/donations.htm or just invite a friend to lunch for a good chat and laugh. Life sure is short-enjoy every moment. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at St. John’s Cathedral (414 W Church Ave, Knoxville, TN 37902) on Saturday, January 13th at 3:00pm. Online condolences and memories may be shared at rosefuneraltn.com.

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Susan Gohn

May 23, 1946 - December 3, 2023