Susan Siekmann Ramelli

Susan Siekmann Ramelli, age 80, of Naperville, Illinois, passed away peacefully at home on October 10, 2025, after a struggle with dementia, surrounded by family and the best caregivers in the world.

Born on January 4, 1945, at Finley Hospital in Dubuque, Iowa, Susan was the daughter of John and Marian (Loetscher) Siekmann. She moved with her family to West Chicago, Illinois, at age eight, where she grew up and attended local schools. Susan graduated from West Chicago Community High School, District 94, and earned her degree from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois, where she was a proud member of the Delta Zeta sorority.

Susan began her career as a Spanish teacher at Aurora West High School before transitioning to work at Bailey’s Restaurant in Elmhurst, Illinois, where she met her husband, Michael F. Ramelli. They were married for 39 wonderful years. When Bailey’s closed, Susan pursued her passion for travel and service as a flight attendant with United Airlines, retiring in 2014.

A lifelong lover of travel, Susan enjoyed exploring new places with her husband and shared more than forty memorable trips with her mother. These adventures brought joy and lasting memories that she cherished throughout her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, James Loetscher Siekmann.

Susan is survived by her husband, Michael F. Ramelli; his sister, Marlene Sweeney (Gerald), and their family, including daughters Susan Malnar (John) and their children, and Katherine (John) and their children; her brother, Peter Siekmann (Jeni); their three children, Kelly Pacini (John), John Siekmann (Tracy), and James Siekmann; and her sister-in-law, Dianne Siekmann.

All arrangements are private, with burial near her parents, brother, grandparents, great-grandfather, aunt, and several uncles in Linwood Cemetery, Dubuque, Iowa. Arrangements are being handled by Norris-Segert Funeral Home, 132 Fremont Street, West Chicago, IL, 630-231-0060.

Often known affectionately as “Susie-Q” by her brothers, Susan will be remembered for her warmth, love of family and friends, and her attention to detail—for which she likely would have perfected this obituary.