Sue Strain
77, El Centro
Dec, 8, 1940- June 4, 2018
Sue Angelyn Strain, 77, passed away peacefully of natural causes on June 4, 2018, while staying with family in Holtville, CA. Sue was most recently known and loved as a supporter of local theater, music, and the arts, as a member of the First Christian Church and its weekly morning prayer group, and as a volunteer “Pink Lady” at the El Centro Regional Medical Center. Her cheerful smile was her trademark everywhere.
A true “California girl”, Sue was born on December 8, 1940, in Brawley, CA, at Pioneers’ Hospital. She attended McKinley Elementary School and Wilson Jr. High School. While at Central, her main focus was on business classes toward a future career, but she also enthusiastically joined the Speech Team and performed in the Junior and Senior Class Plays. She was a proud member of the CUHS Class of 1958.
Her first job straight out of high school was representing Mary Kay Cosmetics here in the Valley until she took a job in the business office of Dessert Seed Company where she stayed for several years. Her independent spirit then took her to the San Diego area where she was hired by UCSD and Scripps Institute of Oceanography in their Human Resources Office. While at Scripps, she had opportunities to work with marine scientists aboard a research vessel in both the Mediterranean and the South Pacific. Sue continued up the work and promotion ladder at Scripps Institute until her mother’s death brought her back to the Valley. When Sue returned to make the family home her home, she worked briefly for the Sheriff’s Office. Sue then joined Human Resources Department at Imperial Valley College where she worked for many years until her retirement.
Sue’s outgoing personality and professed passion for the arts led to her secondary part-time career as an actress. Ms. Strain performed in several plays with the Imperial Valley Players here in the Valley before her move to San Diego. Then, she acted with the San Diego Repertory Theater Company with starring and supporting roles in many of their productions. She also made several television commercials and voice-overs which meant her joining the Screen Actors’ Guild. That led to a small speaking part for her in Marty Feldman’ s comedy movie, “In God we Trust” (1980) and a small role for her in James Garner’s television mini-series, “Space” (1985). Her whole family has always been incredibly proud of Sue’s theatrical talents and achievements as well as her business career accomplishments.
Sue Strain is preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd and Verna Strain of El Centro, CA; her sister and brother-in-law, Carolyn and JL Hisel of Sun City, CA; her two brothers, James Strain Holtville, CA, and Kenneth Strain of El Centro, CA; and, her niece, Monica Jordan of Nampa, ID.
She is survived by her sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Strain of Holtville, CA, and Pattie Young of El Centro, CA. Beloved “Aunt Susie” will also be greatly missed by her eleven adult nieces and nephews and their families throughout the Imperial Valley, Southern California, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Idaho. Sue also leaves behind her dearest companion, her cat, Zsa Zsa.
Sue Strain will be forever remembered for her love for her family, for her enthusiasm for the arts, for her attraction to the colorful, for her affection for animals, great and small, wild and tame, and for her devotion to God.
Services for Sue Angelyn Strain will be held at Hems Brothers Mortuary, 1974 S. Fourth St., El Centro, CA. The funeral services will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 29, 2018, followed immediately by a burial service at Evergreen Cemetery, 201 E. Gillett Rd., El Centro, CA.
Those who wish may honor Sue with flowers OR with a contribution in her name to the Humane Society of Imperial County.