Age 71. Susan was born November 16, 1953, and died peacefully on November 23, 2024, surrounded by her four children and her loving family. Beloved wife of the late Ralph Celentani, and the devoted mother of John (Lisa) Celentani, Laura (Jonathon) Kahle, Susan (Michael) Eoloff, and Paul (Annie) Celentani. Loving grandmother of Luca, Leo, Cecilia, Filippa, Matteo, Francis, Grace, George, Anthony, Joseph, Sophia, John, and Gianna. Susan will be remembered and forever loved by her sisters, Marbeth (Mel) Foley, Anne (Steve) Heaney, and her brother Jamie (Connie) Maloney, as well as by her many nieces and nephews, godchildren, relatives, friends and colleagues.
Susan was born in Chicago, Illinois to Jack F. Maloney and Mercedes (nee Lynch) Maloney. The Maloney’s moved from Chicago to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin in 1962, where Susan attended Christ King school and received her sacraments. She went on to Holy Angels Academy for three years and was a member of the first graduating class of the merged Divine Savior Holy Angels High School in 1971. Susan earned her undergraduate degree from Marquette University as part of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. She received her law degree, summa cum laude, from Marquette University Law School in 1978 as one of only three women in her graduating class.
At Marquette, Susan met and fell in love with Ralph, her husband of 41 years, who loved her as unconditionally as she loved him. She happily prioritized family and being at home with her children, setting aside a promising legal career to raise her four children. While working as a part-time lawyer, Susan embraced motherhood in its entirety. She took her children on outings to the library for story time, long walks to 31 Flavors, swimming lessons at Hoyt pool, Great America, the shores of Lake Michigan, as well as hosting playgroups, birthday parties, and attending school concerts and sporting events.
Nothing made Susan happier than gathering with family and friends. She was constantly planning group activities, and she always showed up for those she loved, bringing enthusiasm and laughter along. She loved to host and always used the fine China and crystal, because “otherwise, why do I have it?” Usually on the go, Susan loved cheering on the Marquette University basketball team, enjoying Café Sopra Mare with one of her grandchildren at Villa Terrace, or retreating to The Pfister Hotel with her sisters and cousin for a staycation. She and her high school friends maintained a close bond for more than 50 years, gathering regularly for dinners, concerts, plays, pontoon rides, and relaxing getaways. For Susan, a party was never too far away, too late in the day, or too inconvenient; she knew the importance of being with the people she loved, and when an invitation was extended, there was no way she was missing it.
Susan was wholly committed to her family, and she emphasized the importance of traditions. Whether it was making the bunny cake for Easter, gifting each of her grandchildren an engraved silver cup on the day of their baptism, or planning an overnight Christmastime visit to Chicago, Susan loved bringing her family together to celebrate. Her tradition of going to lunch on Christmas Eve meant that Christmas was officially underway. Her famous St. Patrick’s Day dinner, complete with Gaelic music and a requirement to wear green, always made her Irish eyes smile. Her daughters will miss her on New Year’s Day, when they would gather at the lakefront for a walk, followed by hours of talking about resolutions in the Pfister Hotel lobby, a tradition started by Susan’s own mother decades ago. She loved the beach most of all. Susan was usually the first one to the water and never said no to a walk in the surf. The tradition of renting a cottage on Lake Michigan, started by her father decades ago, was something Susan and Ralph carried on for their own family, and it brought every child and grandchild together to make priceless memories with “Mimi” and “Grandpa Ralph.”
After Ralph’s death, Susan continued to attend “date night” with dear friends at La Fuente and remained in the book club that she and Ralph had frequented for decades. It was also during this time that Susan began to travel the world, visiting London, Paris, Lisbon and Fatima.
On a recent trip to Portugal, she bought a book of fairy tales and intended to read the stories to her grandchildren when they came over to visit. But Susan didn’t need books to entertain. She was a born storyteller, performing all the voices and using dramatic pauses to capture her audience. She could often be found in a corner with her grandchildren huddled closely together as she told dramatic stories about relatives from the distant past. Her conviction to always keep the traditions and stories of her family alive, whether they be about love, loss, humor or sorrow, will live on in her children and grandchildren.
Susan was a longtime member of the Marquette University High School Mothers Guild, dedicating her time to God, the community, and the school. She was also a member of the St. Thomas More Society and served on the Board of the Litigation Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin and the Marquette University Alumni Board.
Her Catholic faith was the most important part of her life and legacy. Susan always said the best gift she could give to her children was a love of God and the Catholic Church. She modeled this devotion throughout her life by sacrificing greatly to send her children to Catholic grade school and high school, attending Mass every Sunday, and teaching her grandchildren to light a candle in Church for deceased loved ones. She was a fearless crusader for the Pro-Life movement and volunteered countless hours of her time and professional expertise as a volunteer for Wisconsin Right to Life.
Susan was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph, her brother John (Jerri) Maloney, her mother Mercedes (nee Lynch) and father, Jack Maloney.
Visitation will be held on Friday, November 29, 2024, at Schmidt and Bartelt Funeral Home, 10121 W. North Ave, Wauwatosa, WI 53226, from 3PM until time of Vigil Service at 6PM.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, November 30, 2024, at Old St. Mary's Catholic Church, 844 N Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202, at 10:30AM. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Susan's name may be made to Wisconsin Right to Life.