Susan Lovelace-Gerrish

Susan Lovelace-Gerrish, treasured wife, musician, and friend, passed away quietly in the early morning hours of Monday, August 2, 2021. She was hospitalized with covid-19 for a week before her death.

A caring and compassionate Christian lady, Susan devoted herself for 25 years to the music ministry of First United Methodist Church of Uvalde, TX. She was beloved by scores of choir members, both adults and children, who were inspired by her passion for music as a ministry. In addition to directing choirs, a handbell ensemble and serving the church as administrator, she spearheaded multiple music workshops and seasonal cantatas, bringing some of the world's finest composers and clinicians to Uvalde. In 2016, 2017 and 2018, she and the FUMC Chancel Choir were blessed to perform at Carnegie Hall in NYC for several premiere concerts.

Susan was born November 29, 1947 in Chincoteague, VA to Bruce and Margaret Lovelace. The family moved to Plaquemine, LA, where Susan attended high school, playing saxophone and winning a regional science fair competition with a trip to NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville Alabama. In 1968, she graduated as an RN from Our Lady of the Lake School of Nursing in Baton Rouge. She spent the next two decades working as a nurse and nursing administrator, later becoming President of the Louisiana Home Health Association.

A lifelong United Methodist, Susan worked part-time for many years directing children, youth and adult church choirs until retiring from nursing in 1987 and devoting herself full-time to music ministry. She married James Gerrish soon after moving to Albuquerque in 1986, and they enjoyed 34 years of marriage filled with love and music. They both loved the outdoors and spent much of their free time tent camping (and later RVing) in Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado. Susan and Jim often performed music together, until complications from surgery in 2012 robbed Susan of her beautiful singing voice.

Susan was a superbly organized person, with an underlying passion for Christian ministry that burst forth in her music, her devotion to her choir members of all ages, and her deep love for her husband, Jim. Susan has now joined heaven's chorale and is raising her now restored voice in praise to God!

Susan is survived by her husband, Jim Gerrish of Uvalde, TX, daughter Melissa Jasso of Fredericksburg, TX and grandsons Justin Walker and Jordan Jasso of San Antonio.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, August 8th at First United Methodist Church of Uvalde.

Memorials donations may be made to the Music Ministry at 1st United Methodist Church,301 N. High St., Uvalde, TX 78801