Susan Rae Shields, known lovingly as Sue, passed away peacefully on June 25, 2025, surrounded by family. She was born on August 13, 1930, to Olin and Eloise Wallace on their homestead near White Salmon, Washington. As a young girl, she moved with her family to Portland, where she later graduated from Jefferson High School in 1946. She also attended Vanport College.
In 1952, Sue married Robert Jarvis and together they raised five children, all while she worked as a bookkeeper for the family business, Jarvis Jeep. Sue had a gift for making every house a home—her door was always open to neighborhood kids, and her love for animals meant the house was never empty of furry (or unusual) companions. Thanks to a special connection with the Oregon Zoo, the family once helped raise a tortoise and even a lion cub—until their beloved Saint Bernard, Beauty, gave the lion a bump on the head, prompting its return to the zoo.
In 1966, the Jarvis family moved to Lake Oswego, where Sue became an active part of the local community and continued to pour her love into raising her children. Holidays were magical under Sue’s care, especially at the Oregon coast. Every Christmas and summer, she would take the children to Tolovana Park—first to a tiny beach cabin, and later to the Jarvis Haystack Motel at the foot of Haystack Rock. The beach was her sanctuary, a place where she built sandcastles, rode horses, and found deep joy and peace.
A gifted creative, Sue expressed herself through painting, wood carving, gardening, and music. She taught piano and guitar, and her passion for the arts remained strong throughout her life.
In 1983, Sue met and married the love of her later life, George Shields, in Cannon Beach. Together they enjoyed golf, fishing, travel, and a circle of close friends until George’s passing in 2004. In her later years, Sue’s favorite place was her sunroom or deck overlooking the ocean, a good book always in hand. She was a voracious reader and took great joy in exploring stories of every genre. Above all, Sue cherished time with her family—having her kids and grandkids nearby was her greatest happiness.
Sue was preceded in death by her husband George and her son Billy. She is survived by her children Lou, Jim (Margaret), Burt (Jeanette), and Delia; 15 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren. She will be deeply missed and forever loved by all who had the joy of knowing her.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Sue’s memory to the Cannon Beach Historical Society—a place close to her heart and her love of the coast.