It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Susan Louise Thompson Hobert, known to all as Susie.  She went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, at the age of 73. She passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack while traveling in Lisbon, Portugal.
Susie was born in Whittier, Calif., to Rev. Raymond and Mary Thompson on July 31, 1951. At the age of 16, her family moved to Winona Lake. Upon graduation from Warsaw Community High School in 1969, she attended Grace College, where she was involved in choir and ministry, and graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education.
Susie met David Hobert at Grace College, and they were married for 50 years. As Dave was youth pastor at WLGBC, Susie was very involved in youth ministries. Susie and Dave served as missionaries to France for 44 years, primarily in Montceau-les-Mines for 30 years, where they built a church community, served in youth ministries, and were integral to the ministry at the Château de Saint Albain. They also served in Paray-le-Monial for 10 years, living in France for six months out of the year and serving as missionaries in residence at Grace College and Seminary in Winona Lake for the other half of the year.
Susie’s love of music, culture and family followed her throughout her life and made an impression on everyone that she met. Above all, Susie’s life was guided by her deep faith in the Lord. Her love for others, whether in her mission work, her music, or her family, reflected the compassion and grace she received from God. She leaves behind a powerful legacy of faith, kindness and service, and her example will continue to inspire all who knew her. She was a loving wife, a dedicated mother, and a caring and devoted grandmother, and she will be greatly missed.
Susie is survived by her husband, Rev. David Hobert; her children: Ryan Hobert (Carrie Dorean), Julie (Rodrigo) Haddad de Sousa and Emilie Hobert (David Schwan); her four grandchildren: Adelaide, Elsa, Emmanuel and Nicholas; and her siblings: Judy Rae (Glenn) Firebaugh, Alice (Ron) Kinley, Janice (Mark) Workman, Paul (Kandace) Thompson, and Donnie (Dale) Thompson. She was preceded in death by her parents, Rev. Raymond and Mary Thompson; and a brother and sister who died in infancy.
Family and friends will be received from 4 to 6 p.m. for visitation on Friday, Jan. 24 at Winona Lake Grace Church, 1200 Kings Highway, Winona Lake. Susie's life will be celebrated with a memorial service at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25 at Winona Lake Grace Church and officiated by Pastor Bruce Barlow. Arrangements were entrusted to Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, Warsaw.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to Encompass World Partners for the Montceau church’s new ministry center at: give.encompassworldpartners.org/project/montceau or by check at Encompass World Partners, PO Box 620067, Atlanta, GA 30362, addressed to Montceau Evangelism fund 7360.
Online condolences may be sent through the funeral home’s website at www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com.