Suzy Hart and the Heartbeats band, Sussex, Wisconsin

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Suzy Hart and the Hart Beats [Heartbeats]

August 2011 – Hart, Lorraine H. “Suzy” (Nee Steffen) Age 92 years. Formerly of Sussex. Beloved wife of the late Earl E. Loving mother of Carol (Walter) Zeck, Gregory (Kristine), Michael, and the late Judith Bliss. Proud grandmother of Tammy, Kip (Jackie) and Kevin Bliss and Scott (Lisa) Hart. Devoted great-grandmother of Ryan, Jake, Travis and Crystal. Dear sister of Norman “Pepper” (the late Joan) Steffen. Further survived by other relatives and friends. Suzy was the leader of Suzy Hart and the Heartbeats band for over 50 years. Visitation on Wednesday, August 31, from 6PM until a Celebration of Life Service at 7PM, at WISCONSIN MEMORIAL PARK FAMILY CENTER-WEST NORTH CHAPEL, 12875 W. Capitol Dr., Brookfield. A private entombment will take place. In lieu of flowers, a scholarship fund will be set up for an aspiring musician at Sussex Hamilton High School. The family would like to give a special thank you to Dr. Martin Kern and the caring staff at Brookfield Rehab and Specialty Care Center for their kind and compassionate care.

Lorraine “Suzy” H. Hart dies at 92

by Fred H. Keller, Sussex Sun.

Lifetime resident [minus her final years in a nursing home], Lorraine “Suzy” H. Hart of Lisbon and Sussex died Saturday, Aug 27, at the age of 192. She was born on June 6, 1919 to Annie [nee Reidel] and Otto Steffen at a farm near the intersection of of present day Howards Lane and Highway 164. She attended the nearby Lisbon 16 School at Hillside and Good Hope Road.

As a young girl, Suzy learned to play the accordion and played it for more than 60 years. She was the leader of The Suzy Hart and Her Heartbeats band that furnished music for many occasions, most prominently for the Sussex Fire Department and Sussex Community Hall. She was also a singer.

She married a local farmboy, the late Earl E. Hart. In their early marriage, they lived near Highway 164 and County Line Road. They then moved to Sussex where they lived on Silver Spring Drive adjacent to the present day Post Office. They lived on the north side of the road with the Sussex Creek flowing through her backyard. Five years ago she had to go to a nursing home to live out the rest of her life.

She was mother to Carol [Walter]Zeckm Gregory [Kristine], Michael, and the late Judith Bliss, grandmother of Tammy, Kip [Jackie] and Kevin Bliss and Scott [Lisa] Hart and great-grandmother of Ryan, Jake, Travis, and Crystal. She is sister of Norman “Pepper” [the late Joan] Steffen and further survived by other relatives and friends.

Suzy was a member of St. James Catholic Church.

Visitation was held Wednesday at Wisconsin Memorial North Chapel with entombment following. In lieu of flowers, a scholarship fund will be set up for aspiring musicians at Sussex Hamilton High School. Sussex Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Home served the family.

 

Suzy’s brother Norman “Pepper” Steffen said he comes from a “dancing family,” and says he would have won a dance competition hands down if the fire department ever had one. His sister, Suzy Hart, and her Hart Beats band was almost always present at the Sussex Fire Department events. source: ‘Pepper’ Steffen still lives in Sussex, by Fred H. Keller, Historian, Posted: Living Sussex Sun, Nov. 26, 2013

Suszy Hart plays the “squeeze box” for Charlie “da barber” Roginske and wife Alma, celebrating his 90th birthday at the Sussex Civic Center [old Orchard School] in 1982