Susan "Suzy" Josey Bess

Susan "Suzy" Josey Bess, 72 of Lexington, NC met her Heavenly Father on Saturday, August 9th at Lexington Medical Center lovingly surrounded by her family. She and her sister Deborah “Debbie” Marlene Josey were on record as the first set of twins born in 1953 at Davis Hospital in Statesville, NC. She was the daughter of Glenn Edger Josey and Ruby Fox Josey of Statesville.

Suzy met the love of her life, Richard “Rickey” Bess when they were just teenagers in junior high. They courted for eight years beginning in the 9th grade and were a year shy of celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary upon her passing.

Suzy graduated class of ‘71 from Statesville Senior High School, where she was a member of the Marching Grenadiers playing flute and bagpipes. She had the honor of marching with the Band in Washington DC for the inauguration of President Nixon. After graduation, she continued on to UNC Charlotte to study Nursing. She was part of the 1975 first accredited graduating class of licensed nurses from the University.

She found her passion in Obstetrics and continued most of her life making sure expectant mothers and babies made it safely through pregnancy and delivery. Suzy spent many years teaching lamaze classes and delivering babies at Forsyth Memorial Hospital while working under the private practice of the late Dr. Robert Anderson. She later transitioned to Medcost, where she began and developed their Prenatal and Neonatal Case Management Program. She was full of knowledge and largely responsible for the safe delivery of countless high-risk pregnancies throughout the Medcost network until her retirement in 2019.

Suzy was truly a social butterfly which fit well when she joined and became Queen "Bubbles" of The Purple Butterflies, a Red Hat Society Chapter in Winston-Salem. She loved getting all dazzled up and attending events with her fellow Red Hatters. The beach was one of her favorite places to be; she hardly ever missed a year. When she couldn't be there, she spent summers with her children and grandchildren at her lake house on High Rock Lake. Her children, grandchildren, and fur babies were her pride and joy. She was the best “Memaw” and loved attending as many of their athletic events as possible, notably being one of the loudest in the stands at many. Her other passion was for crafts; everything from needle point to crocheting, to smocking, embroidering, and quilting. She had great artistic talent and an eye for beauty, winning several awards for her work. Ultimately, Suzy just loved life and lived it to the fullest, leaving a lasting impression on everyone she met with that infectious laugh and big, beautiful smile that so many will miss and treasure dearly.

Susan was preceded in death by her mother and father, brother Glenn Josey, Jr., sisters Shelby and Deborah Josey, and daughter Cammie Bess. Left to cherish her memory are her loving husband Richard Bess, daughters Lauren Redmond (Todd) of Clemmons, NC and Alicia Bartosch (Geoff) of Huntersville, NC, grandchildren Haley Redmond, Hudson, Lydia, and Adelynn Bartosch, her fur babies Sunshine and Roxy, a special cousin and partner in crime, Melissa "Lissie" Fox, along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, extended family and friends.

Family and friends will be received from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12th, at Troutman Funeral Home - 345 N Main St, Troutman, NC 28166. The funeral will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 13th at Front Street Baptist Church - 1403 W Front St, Statesville, NC 28677 with Rev. Troy Skora and Pastor Naeem Fazal officiating and burial following at Oakwood Cemetery. An additional Celebration of Life will be held near Lexington, NC at a later date to be announced.

In lieu of flowers, we ask family and friends to consider making a donation to the UNC Charlotte School of Nursing in memory of Suzy to support nurses of the future.

Troutman Funeral Home is serving the Bess family.