Hagedorn, Susan Allender

FLOYD, Va. Susan Allender Hagedorn, age 69, passed away surrounded by her family on Friday, September 16, 2016, despite heroic efforts by the ER doctors and nurses at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. Sue was born on October 8, 1946, in Lake Forest, Ill. to John Scott Allender and Agnes "Connie" (Dobbins) Allender. Sue graduated from Bridgewater College in 1968 with a degree in English, and soon after married Charles Hagedorn III on August 30, 1969. She then went on to graduate from Iowa State University in 1974 with a Master of Arts in Science and Technology, and a PhD in 2001 from Virginia Tech in Science and Technology Studies. Sue was an English instructor at Virginia Tech for 23 years where she formed lifelong relationships with many fellow teachers and influenced the lives of thousands of students who attended her courses in technical writing, literature and the environment, and her passion science fiction. Sue also conducted research on the impact of science on society, where she published technical papers, chapters in research books, gave talks at conferences, and was active in professional societies. Sue and Charles enjoyed travel and often combined work trips with vacation, and these led to a life of often wild and crazy adventures in China, the Czech Republic, England, Scotland, Ireland, Puerto Rico, Canada, and countless trips around the U.S. There were only a few states that Sue and Charles never visited, but their favorites were Hawaii, Alaska, Colorado, and the highlands of SW Virginia, where they built their retirement home. Sue was an avid quilter, seamstress, and collector of all things fabric. Her greatest single joy was her family, and she relished the times spent with daughters, sons-in-law, and granddaughters. Sue was predeceased by her parents and is survived by her loving husband of 47 years, Charles; daughters, Sarah (Jason) Bowman and granddaughter, Abagail, of Virginia Beach, Va., and Rosa (Jake) Criggedorn and granddaughter, Ripley, of Wahiawa, Hawaii; and two brothers, Jack Allender of Orlando, Fla., and Jeff Allender of North Augusta, Ga. Sue joined the Church of the Brethren denomination at marriage, and she embodied their principles of living simply, peacefully, and being together. Friends and family are invited to a viewing on Wednesday, September 21, 2016, at 6 till 8 p.m. at McCoy Funeral Home, 150 Country Club Drive SW, Blacksburg VA, 24060. A service and burial will follow on Thursday, September 22, 2016, at 11 a.m. at the Beaver Creek Church of the Brethren, 409 Ridgeview Rd., Floyd, VA 24091. Donations may be made in her name to the Literacy Volunteers of the New River Valley (www.lvnrv.org). "All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you."- Gandalf the Grey. Arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.