Suzanne Emmons

Suzanne Goldsberry Emmons, born May 19, 1941, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of December 28th, 2025. Suzanne grew up the daughter of Forest and Louise Brown Goldsberry in Ripley, Ohio on Upper Main Street. Her father was the owner of the Goldsberry Meat Market in Ripley. She attended St. Michael School through 8th grade and graduated from Ripley High School. A lifetime member of St. Michael Church, her faith remained central throughout her life. She had a deep trust in God, always prayed her nightly rosary, and could be found early at mass to pray. 

She began her career working for AT&T for several years before meeting the love of her life, Carey D. Emmons. After their marriage, her primary focus became raising a family together. 

While raising her family, Suzanne babysat many in the community and was active with St. Michael’s School and Church, including serving as a volunteer school librarian and chaired many meals for parish functions. Partnering with her husband at home, she supported the farm, taking care of the house and preparing food for all setting and harvesting tobacco. 

Suzanne was a phenomenal cook, baker, and homemaker who shared these gifts with so many through school and church functions. She was an avid quilter and she mused that life was just "[a] race to see who can die with the most fabric." 

These gifts extended through generations. Her kitchen table full with grandchildren stuffed around on benches eating her delicious meals and famous apple pie. Many of their favorite childhood memories were at the family farm playing in the creek and around her kitchen table. She also passed down her love of animals to her grandchildren. 

Suzanne loved and trusted God, and she used her gifts supporting the community she loved and her family. Her home was always full of love and chocolate chip cookies. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Forest and Louise (Brown) Goldsberry, husband, Carey D.; her sisters Marjorie Bernadine and Mary Jean Reetz; her brothers Fred and Bill, and her son-in-law, Mark Heller. 

She is survived by her children: Karen Heller of Maysville, Regina (Terry) Applegate of Maysville, Carey David Emmons of Ripley, Julie (Jay) Baldwin of Minster, Ohio, Mary Ann (Scott) Porter of Mason County. She is also survived by seventeen grandchildren Jacob (Emily), Elizabeth, Lauren, and Carter (Justin Vankirk) Heller, Justin, Braun (Lora), and Harrison (Anna) Applegate, Douglas and Katie (Elijah Mitchell) Emmons, Forest, Michael, Benedict, and Luke Baldwin, and Anna, Samuel, Maggie, and Asa Porter, and eleven great-grand children. She is also survived by special cousins, Linda Hicks Defossee and Carol Hicks Cooper, and numerous nieces and nephews. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:30 P.M. Wednesday, December 31, 2025 at St. Michael Church in Ripley, Ohio.  Rev. Dohrman Byers will be the Celebrant.  Visitation will be from 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. at the Cahall Funeral Home in Ripley.  Interment will follow the funeral Mass in Maplewood Cemetery in Ripley.  All are welcome for a meal at St. Michael Parish Hall following the committal service at the cemetery.

Pallbearers will be her eight grandsons: Braun Applegate, Jacob Heller, Harrison Applegate, Forest Baldwin, Douglas Emmons, Michael Baldwin, Asa Porter, and Luke Baldwin. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Michael Parochial School 300 Market Street, Ripley OH 45167.