Susan M. Heikkila, 77, of De Pere, WI, passed away on Friday, April 3, 2026, peacefully at home after a brief illness. Susan was born on June 23, 1948, in Stambaugh, MI, daughter of the late Alton and Elna (Cederna) Lantz.Susan attended the Gaastra and Stambaugh Schools graduating with the Class of 1966. 

She married the love of her life, the late William Groop, Jr. on October 2, 1966, and had two daughters, Lisa and Sandy. Following the death of her first husband, Susan remarried and moved to the Green Bay area where she had a son, Robert Heikkila. She lived the majority of her adult life in Howard, WI, and spent many days at her cottage in Kelly Lake, WI.

In her early years, Susan enjoyed being a stay-at-home mother to her three young children. She later became employed full-time with Shopko Stores, Inc, working initially in retail and ending her years at the Shopko Return Center and Menards. During her employment, she met many co-workers that became lifelong friends. In retirement, busy workdays were traded for luncheons and laughs with the “Shopko girls” or visits with family, grandchildren and close friends.

Susan was a sports enthusiast. She had a passion for playing softball as a short stop for many years under coach Bill Ryan and bowling on leagues at Village Lanes in Howard, WI. She also greatly enjoyed watching the Green Bay Packers, and she was a season ticket holder of the UWGB Phoenix Girls Basketball team with childhood friend Tom Remondini. Whether watching her favorite player, Steph Curry, on the Golden State Warriors or the Milwaukee Brewers with neighbor, Lucy Veeser and family, she was always ready for a good game.

She was loved dearly and will be missed for her smile, jokes, laugh and love of sending cards and calls to everyone she cared about. Her loveable, strong-willed, yet independent ways were her signature. Finally, she was a loyal and caring mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and neighbor.

She is survived by her daughters, Lisa (William) Shew of Appleton, WI, Sandra (Michael) Baldwin of Wausau, WI; and grandchildren Alyssa (Cort) Johnson, Olivia (Tyler) Lemke, Jacob Baldwin and Brandon Common; brother-in-law, Edwin Rousseau of Reno, NV; and sister-in-law, Mary Jane Ridolphi.

She was preceded in death by her husband, William Groop; sister, Carol Rousseau; brother, Robert Lantz; and son, Robert Heikkila, as well as her parents.

Visitation will be held on Monday, April 20, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Ryan Funeral Home, 305 N Tenth Street, De Pere. A funeral service will be held immediately following visitation at 3:00 p.m. Interment will be at the Stambaugh Cemetery, Iron River, MI, on June 1, 2026, 10:00 a.m.