ATLANTA—Richard (Dick) M. Suever died on Dec. 26, 2020. He was 90 years old.

He was ordained to the permanent diaconate, serving Holy Cross Church in Atlanta for more than 25 years.

Deacon Richard Suever

He was born on April 21, 1930 in Delphos, Ohio to Frank A. Suever and Rosemary E. Suever. Deacon Suever was preceded in death by his wife of more than 58 years, Ann M. Suever, and sons Paul A. and Robert A. Suever. He is survived by eight children: Rick Suever (Sharon) of Huntsville, Alabama; Karen Kimmey (Bob) of Urbana, Illinois; Sue Borchgrevink (Jack) of Houston, Texas; Patty Stephens of Atlanta; Kathy Grey (David) of Maple Grove, Minnesota; David Suever (Beverly) of Atlanta; Peggy Flynn (Larry) of Atlanta; and Jay Suever (Debbie) of Atlanta. He is also survived by 20 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Deacon Suever was fully committed to his family and his faith. He worked hard to provide for his growing family, often having two jobs to make ends meet. His strength of character allowed him to persevere in trying times without despair. Despite his busy schedule, he always found time for family vacations, camping adventures and trips to the beach because he passionately believed in fun. He also found time for each member of the family, quite the challenge in a large family.

His faith also provided a firm foundation on which he built his life. He was active in the various ministries of Holy Cross Church when the parish was founded and led many of them. He was also involved in adult education. One of his most popular classes was “God, You and Your Finances” where participants were asked to bring a credit card to be cut into small pieces in the last class.

He and his wife, Ann, were instrumental in bringing the Stephen Ministry program to Holy Cross and directing it for 10 years. After his retirement as a deacon, he introduced the Amigos for Christ Ministry to the parish and supported its mission work in Nicaragua with manpower for three trips and donations of money and materials.

His family extended gratitude for the staff of Northside Hospital in Duluth who cared for the deacon in his final days as he battled COVID-19, calling them “true heroes in every sense of the word.”

Funeral arrangements will be announced later so extended family and friends can attend the celebration of the deacon’s life.

Memorial contributions may be made to Amigos for Christ (75 Maddox Road, Suite 107, Buford, Georgia 30518; https://amigosforchrist.org) or the IHM Sisters (IHM Retirement Fund, 610 W. Elm Avenue, Monroe, Michigan 48162; https://ihmsisters.org).