It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the loss of a vibrant member of our community who passed on Good Friday, April 10, 2020 at the age of 80; a lady who added energy and creativity to everything she touched, Susan Adele Tryk (Sujo).
Susan was born on Aug. 30, 1940 in Las Angeles, California to Helen and Harold (Tod) Tryk and had two older brothers. Dan and Ed. The family moved to Dorena Lake in 1950. Sue, a 1958 graduate of Cottage Grove High, went to work for the Law Office of Herb Lombard before attending the University of Oregon to study Art and where she met and married Donald Johnson, in 1962 they had their son, Ross.
Following graduation, Don joined the United States Air Force and was assigned to Williams Air Force base in Chandler Arizona where Traci was born. Their journey then led them to Charleston, South Carolina Air Force base where Sue spent her time raising her kids and pursuing her artwork. She immersed herself into the local Art scene and joined the local Art Guilds wherever she lived, including Safety Harbor and Key West, Florida, and loved doing “on scene” demonstrations, exhibits, and selling her paintings and pottery on the sidewalks and Docks of the local waterfronts and historic parts of town. She also enjoyed teaching, coordinating art exhibits, and volunteering for many organizations.
They moved back to Cottage Grove. After divorcing, Sue took a job with the City of Cottage Grove, then left to help Roger Sinclair, a civil engineer with the city, build his own civil engineering firm, later they married. While working full-time, Sue still followed her passion and supplemented her salary with art.
Sue maintained a home-based business on N. 9th St. for graphic design and secretarial services. Her talents in fine art included oil, acrylic, tole and watercolor painting, pen and ink, pottery, stained, fused, and dichroic glass work, jewelry and graphic design. Sue loved art and her community and volunteered a lot of time to preserve the history and art in Cottage Grove with a later focus on historic buildings and covered bridges. A tribute to Sue will soon be displayed at The Bookmine in downtown Cottage Grove.
Sue was a founding member and or member of Chamber of Commerce, Historic Society, Sidewalk Art shows, Bohemia Mining Days, town murals, the Carousel Committee to name a few. Sue’s love for cats, immersing her white Cat Cato in local murals about town and did volunteer work for the Humane Society; she requested that in lieu of flowers donations go to the Cottage Grove Humane Society.
Sujo is survived by her daughter, Traci Johnson Coolidge; grandson, Thomas Johnson; brother, Ed Tryk; and dearest friend, Ruthie. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Dan; and son, Ross, who tragically passed away unexpectedly on April 6, 2020. Her presence in all of our lives was a blessing, to be treasured perpetually.
A celebration of Sue’s life will be planned for later this summer. Arrangements in the care of Smith-Lund Mills.
