Honoring Angel Suhrstedt

Our Director of Communications, Angel Suhrstedt, passed away almost a month ago. We know how much she impacted those around her, and we wanted to take a second to honor her memory by sharing some of the tributes shared in her honor by her fellow employees.  

There will be a Celebration of Life at Tower Theatre on Dec 11, 2023, from 6-9 pm. The family is asking for people to simply RSVP so they can get a rough headcount. Please RSVP at http://evite.me/fJcmMNQsJr. 

Thank you to everyone who submitted a tribute. Below are some of the tributes honoring Angel. Thank you to everyone for your kindness over the past few months. 

Tricia Ross, Access Specialist, The Village Library -  

I was blessed to work with Angel at the Edmond library from 2013 to 2017. She was always so lovely, positive, and kind. She was always willing to share a fun story from her family or an experience she learned. 

One thing that she did that made a huge difference in my life was being an incredibly positive person. When I was a library aide, I didn't understand at first. I was like "How is Angel so positive all the time?" After my loss of my father-in-law back in 2014, I asked myself that question again and I really understood. It was a big step in my perception of the world. I learned about how loss makes you realize which problems are big problems and which are little ones. I learned about how much the treatment of others mattered. I learned about how much people go through already before they walk in the library. Those moments helped me understand how much positivity is a choice you are allowed to make. It really kickstarted my journey to positivity and the impact that it brings. 

Angel didn't know how much she was teaching me just by me being around her. I always meant to tell her, but I told many others over the years on how she inspired me. 

Angel worked very hard for the library and everyone around her. 

Here is a special piece of advice from one of Angels lovely emails:  

"I heard something the other day that I'd never heard before...’treat people even better than you would like to be treated.’ It sounds so simple, but I'd never heard it said that way. The more I think about it I realize that that's probably about the best advice I've ever heard. 

In every situation.... 

Always assume good intent, 

use your own good judgment, 

fess up when you mess up, and remember 

it's just books.* 

*Yes, I know that it's not just books but also magazines, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, Playaways, Playaway Vues and Playaway Launchpads (did I get every format?) PLUS members who are grown-ups, teens, children, and grown-ups who often act like children; service animals and people who want to convince us that their pet guinea pigs and snakes are "service animals," program planning, presenting and evaluating; collection management, facilities maintenance, readers' advisory, problem solving, computer issues, teaching members how to use our digital resources, balancing the budget, answering strange questions, talking to lonely folks on the phone, being a good neighbor, building relationships with others and our community; shelving, shifting, edging and making this place look good; trying to get the dang finger-reader on the time clock to work properly, occasionally calling 911 for help and about 100 more things we often feel like we are doing all at the same time. When I get overwhelmed  and stressed out, just repeating that mantra in my head helps me get things back into perspective... maybe it will work for you, too?” 

Mark Schuster, Regional Director, Almonte, Central Information Services, Choctaw, Del City, Elizabeth Threatt Luther Library, Jones, Nicoma Park, Swan Memorial Harrah Library, Village -  

Angel was more than a colleague.  It couldn't be any other way, as she openly and regularly shared her own stories, and laughed along with the stories of others.  You knew where she stood on every issue, about her family, her previous experiences at Metro, and her struggles and trials.  She never met a stranger, and couldn't help but make friends wherever she went.  Working with Angel, I treasured our one-on-one meetings.  I would usually schedule them to last from 3-4:30 PM, and not schedule anything immediately following, as I knew they'd run long.  Even without an agenda, we'd always fill the time. 

She was exactly the right person to lead Del City towards the opening of their new library.  It was so exciting to see how excited she was about the process, and the new building.  Her hands are all over that building, from the fixtures, to the layout, and the colors used.  It stands as a testament to her style and personality that will make a positive difference in the Del City community for decades to come.   

And she was exactly the right person to rebuild our Marketing and Communication department from the ground up.  The people she chose will carry on her legacy of kindness, candor, and joy.  Her vision lives on in their approach to their work.   

I could fill the intranet with my reminiscing, and my feelings about Angel.  But I'll summarize with this: she was my friend, she made my life better by her presence in it, and while I will miss her dearly, I know that she wouldn't want anyone to mope around because of her.  So instead, I'll periodically crank Mr. Brightside, dance a little jig, and keep smiling, in her honor. 

Stephanie Easterling – Access Specialist, Northwest Library 

I cannot claim to have known Angel as well as others, but I can say she was a wonderful human 

being. Angel was a real go-getter, tackling so many projects, but she always made time to talk to 

someone in person or through email. One of the things I distinctly remember about Angel was 

her willingness to have faith in others and give them chances to prove themselves. To further 

commemorate our coworker, I have written the following verses: 

A constant friend 

You’re a real delight. 

True to your name, 

You touch others with your light. 

Zach Branstetter, Collection Development Librarian -  

I worked with Angel for six years, both at Edmond and at Del City. We worked closely together for four years at DC and those times are some of my happiest with Metro. Angel became not just a supervisor to me, but a mentor and great friend. She was always willing to give much-needed advice when I was a new manager, and a great deal of what I know about excellent customer service comes from her. I'm extremeley sad that she passed so early in life, and my heart goes out to her family. She will leave a large hole in the many lives that she touched, and I will miss her terribly. 

Patty Widhalm, Access Specialist, Edmond Library -  

I worked with her at Edmond for a while and also took Excel 1, 2, & 3 classes with her. She was always so friendly, positive, and bubbly. She was so proud of Vivian/Beck's academic achievements.  I could tell she loved her family very much.  She will be greatly missed.