Susana “Sue” Bonah

When great trees fall rocks on distant hills shudder,

lions hunker down in tall grasses, and even elephants lumber after safety.

When great trees fall in forests, small things recoil into silence, their senses eroded beyond fear.

When great souls die, the air around us becomes light, rare, sterile.

We breathe, briefly. Our eyes, briefly, see with a hurtful clarity.

Our memory, suddenly sharpened, examines, gnaws on kind words unsaid, promised walks never taken.

Great souls die and our reality, bound to them, takes leave of us.

Our souls, dependent upon their nurture, now shrink, wizened.

Our minds, formed and informed by their radiance, fall away.

We are not so much maddened as reduced to the unutterable ignorance of dark, cold caves.

And when great souls die, after a period peace blooms, slowly and always irregularly.

Spaces fill with a kind of soothing electric vibration.

Our senses, restored, never to be the same, whisper to us.

They existed.

They existed.

We can be. Be and be better.

For they existed.

Susana “Sue” Bonah, aged 86, passed away peacefully on October 9, 2024, in McHenry, IL. Born on October 3, 1938, in Monrovia, Liberia, Susana was known for her spirited personality and unwavering strength. Her life was a tapestry as vibrant and ornate as the African clothing she often wore, each moment woven with kindness, resilience, and love, which she shared generously with family and friends.

Throughout her life, Sue held many professional roles including Assistant to the Director of Foreign Affairs in Liberia, Certified Nursing Assistant, and celebrated cook at Hillary’s BBQ in North Chicago, IL where she was responsible for making the restaurant’s renowned secret BBQ sauce. Sue was a devoted sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend, whose love and compassion touched the hearts of many.

Sue is survived by her children James (Kathy), Joseph, Jessie (Wanga), and Lydia, 11 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren, several loving nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was predeceased by her parents, Christina and Jimmy King, daughter, Maffa Bonah-Hall, and sisters Caroline, and Julia.

A celebration of Susana’s remarkable life will be held on Saturday, October 26th, at Mount Moriah Christian Center in North Chicago, IL.

Her love, light, and exuberant legacy will continue to shine brightly in our hearts.