Susan J.

Darsch

If you are reading this, then I have been called across the Rainbow Bridge to be with my beloved poodles who have led the way.   (Drafted in 2020)

My name is Susan Darsch and I was born on October 8, 1958 to Arnold and MaryJane (Brower) Darsch at Evanston Hospital in Evanston Illinois. When I was still tiny my parents moved to Lake Mills, where my Dad and Ronald Ferguson were building Hamlin, Incorporated in 1959.

I had a difficult childhood after being diagnosed with Life Threatening Asthma in April of 1960 at which time I also became a Case Study at the UW until 1962. I spent the next 10 years in and out of hospitals fighting to breathe and live. My sister Pam came onto the scene in 1961 and her life had just as much chaos as mine did as a result of how our parents managed my illness. As a result we were estranged.

I attended the Lake Mills Schools and graduated in 1977. During my High School years I served on the Year Book and became Editor-In-Chief my Senior year. I was also involved with the National Honor Society. Outside of High School I worked alongside my Dad when he put together the community's Fireworks show, not allowed to be present when firing the show because I wasn't 18 yet. After graduation I was allowed to work the hill with he and his crew for the first time – it was exhilarating. I was encouraged by my High School Band instructor (Bob Schultz) to join the Lake Mills City Band, which I played with after my Sophomore, Junior and Senior years of High School.

Since my parents encouraged us to volunteer and be involved in our community, I would do a little more once I was done with college. I graduated from UW (Madison) in 1981 with a degree in South Asian studies and my focus was Folklore and the culture and peoples of India. If you think I wasted my time, I can assure you that I did not. The bulk of my courses required researching subjects and writing papers, which would come to serve me well in my later years when I was working.

After College I would continue to work alongside my Dad preparing the Fireworks for the annual show and firing them off on the 4 ^th of July, or another night if rain interfered. When Dad retired from doing the Fireworks display for Lake Mills, I retired with him and ended 23 years as his part of his pyrotechnical crew.

I got my first dog Spike in 1982 and would never regret my decision. I would train him myself to be obedient, walk politely on a lead, to come when called and to be a 'good boy'. I would teach him special skills that I needed to help me deal with a condition that was unidentified and unnamed, yet unmistakably present.

By 1991 I would get my second dog and get involved with AKC Obedience through a club. I was hooked – the Obedience bug bit me and I never looked back. Koki would earn her CD in 1994. However the club where I was training would be so short of instructors that they "roped" me into teaching in 1993. Bitten once again by the Obedience bug, this time teaching others to be better dog owners and handlers. I would teach Koki what I had taught Spike and began my Service Dog training that all of my current dogs know.

In 1995 I would create a new class to meet an ever growing training need and gap – a class specifically designed for the dog that has never been to training class and is in dire need of basically a "puppy" level class. the dogs that needed this class were all rescues – they had been rehomed so many times that they were perennially afraid of being dumped – so car rides were not a good thing. So "Household Manners" came into being and the classes were always full and attendance was always perfect. I even accepted dogs that were too old for puppy class (over 6 months) yet not quite ready for the demands of Beginning Novice (lacked focus and owners lacked control).

The weekly class handouts and teachers weekly outline are on file at the Library of Congress. I never finished the book because I believed that there wasn't a need for it. By 2010 there were so many clubs developing classes and adopting AKC programs to fill this need that my subject matter wasn't necessary. Even though I've been told I should finish the book, finding the time would become difficult.

In 1992 I would breed my first litter of purebred miniature poodles and get hooked. I enjoyed raising the newborns and getting them ready for their forever homes.

I joined the Greater Milwaukee Poodle Club in 1998 and continued to breed in accordance to Poodle Club of America's breeder's code of ethics and their breed standards. I have bred 7 champions of record and owned 5. I have trained and titled all of my dogs, with the exception of Spike and Pinky in Obedience, Rally, Trick Dog and the CGC Certification Program.

I would return to Lake Mills City Band in 1992 at the same time my Dad convinced me to get involved with the Town and Country Days/Festival Parade line-up. I really enjoyed placing the units on the staging grounds and then sending them and feeding in the large units from the side streets. I did this for 25 years until I was forced to retire in 2018 due to a major medical problem. Thankfully I was able to return in 2019 to assist the new Chamber Executive Director.

In 1993 my physician would decide that I needed to retire from working, as my health was too unstable. So I needed to find ways to fill my free time, which I suddenly had too much of. I would join a second Obedience club and teach for them. I would start to write fiction for my own entertainment. Most ended up not going anywhere. A piece entitled "Nisaside, Erg" is unfinished and is about what I would call "Edifice Envy" in the small town of Nisaside in the tiny country of Erg. They are the only community that has old school buildings, yet the district historically fails to care for what they do have. I started a "fable" and struggled to find a way to get the ending that I created. How to resolve the conflict to get to the logical ending was my sticking point.

In 1993 the City Band would need a Librarian and since I had the time and the interest in music, I was asked and found that I enjoyed the work, even though it is the most intricate filing job I've ever done. During my time with the band I have been its Secretary and its President, all while being the Librarian. I retired from the band in 2020 after playing with them for 31 years. (27 as librarian in 2020 at the time of this writing, 31 years playing in the band in 2020).

I would continue to train my dogs for the invisible, yet life interrupting problem with no name – all of them would become extremely proficient at resolving the issue when it occurred.

In 2013 I would be diagnosed with Breast Cancer and need a Mastectomy. During an appointment for a second opinion and in a search for a surgeon with a better "bedside manner" my unnamed problem would be discovered by a medical professional – PTSD! I had an episode that spun me back to the age of 3 and I was screaming for my mother – I knew where I was, yet didn't understand how I got there, the testing that was going on or where my mommy was. I would tell my Dad about it and he would admit that it was discovered, although a different term was used for the diagnosis, in 1966 when I was 8 years old and that it was a result of living with Life Threatening Asthma. The diagnostic term of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder would not be assigned until the 1990's.

By 2015 I would no longer be able to function after appointments with my doctors because of the PTSD, so my doctor told me to get vests for 2 dogs and make sure that they are obedient in public and to not venture out, particularly medical appointments without at least one of them with me. I chose Cloud and Sky to start the proofing with – they were already obedient and knew the skills that I had taught them for helping me, which are the same skills that the professionals train PTSD dogs to do. How odd that back in 1982 I would teach Spike grounding, tactile stimulation, deep compression, watch behind and extend perimeter and not even know that I was teaching him the right thing. I just knew that when I was out I was better with him than without him. After 10 months of proofing and teaching a few odd things, like elevators, automatic doors, grocery shopping and restaurant skills, both boys had graduated from "in training vests" to full vests. No more training, they knew their job. Vest on – on duty and no socializing, vest off – off duty and play and socializing is allowed.

Four and a half years after the Breast Cancer was found, I would be diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer and there would be dozens of tumors in my asthmatic lungs. Cloud would keep me steady through my 18 rounds of Chemo in 17 months. He was my anchor while I was terrified of the Chemo. Even after 18 rounds, any infusion is always upsetting, Chemo is the toughest drug to accept, the side effects are always a little different for each drug. Remission is tentative, never lasting as long as I would have liked. A cure will not be found until they can fix the broken immune system that let the cancer get out of control in the first place, since we all have cancer from the day we were born.

I want to thank Jean Oestrich for proofing Honey when she brought her to St. Mary's to visit me in 2018. Honey walked through the hallways and rode the elevators like a seasoned pro. I had not had time to finish her proofing before I became very ill from Chemo side effects.

Pinky was in the proofing process and still wearing the "in training" vest.

I am preceded in death by my Mom MaryJane (Brower) Darsch in 2009 of Alzheimers.

I am survived by my niece Julia (Peter) Kendl of Milwaukee, my Dad Arnold Pierce Baar Darsch, and the members of my support network who have become my extended family. Jean (Grant) Oestreich of Lake Mills, Gregory Gottschalk, Sabrina Gottschalk, Tiffany Jarchow, and Ariah Jarchow – Gottschalk all of Cambridge, and Pamela Stark (John) Reich of Lake Mills.

I leave behind four miniature poodles all of who have served me well. In their own way each of them was a super Service Dog and they will make wonderful pets for their new owners.

KoKaRo Mudpuppy Every Cloud RA BN PCD CD TKN CGCA CGCU. AKA Achiever Dog Certificate awarded.

CH KoKaRo Honey Pirate BN RN CGCA CGCU

CH KoKaRo Midnight Sky RI BN PCD CD TKN CGCA CGCU. AKC Achiever Dog Certificate awarded.

KoKaRo Pirate's Princess Pinky A Go-Go.

Her support network would like to thank Dr. Amit Sanyal, Dr. Wishau, the Chemo nurses at St. Mary's Janesville and Dean Specialty Clinic in Fort, the 8W nurses at St. Mary's Madison, Agrace Hospice Care, Visiting angels, Graceful Guidance and the staff of the Dean Specialty Clinic in Fort Atkinson for their care.

There will be a celebration of life held on Saturday, June 26th, 2021. The celebration will be held from 12pm to 6pm at 106 Lake Shore Dr, Lake Mills WI 53551. Food will be provided and those that wish to go swimming are welcome to bring your suits.

www.claussenfuneralhome.com