Susan M. Herfindahl

Susan M. Herfindahl, 88, of Lake Park, Minnesota, passed away with her family by her side on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at Sunnyside Care Center in Lake Park.

Born on July 9, 1937, in Fargo, North Dakota, to Clarence and Esther (Benedict) Jacobsen, Susan grew up attending a one-room schoolhouse in Comstock, Minnesota. She graduated from Moorhead High School in 1955 and went on to study at MSTC, now Minnesota State University Moorhead, where she was a proud member of the Alpha Phi Sorority. After college, she began her career at GMAC, where she met her future husband, Harlan Herfindahl. They married on August 28, 1960, and made their home on the family farm, raising their children together.

Susan was known for her artistic talents, her skill with knitting and crocheting, and her exceptional cooking and baking. She was especially celebrated for her pies, caramel rolls, and tea rings. Active in her community and church, she found great joy in time spent with friends. In 2004, she and Harlan moved to their lake home, where she loved to entertain, pursue her hobbies, and above all, gather with her family.

She is survived by her husband, Harlan; children, Tom (Cheryl) Herfindahl and Jane (Brad) Pake; grandchildren, Alexa (Bryant) Briard, Marcus Herfindahl, Blair Herfindahl, Erika Pake, Maria Pake, and Andy Pake; great-grandchildren, Farrah and Flint Briard; twin sister, Sharon Witt; sister, JoAnn Nyquist; brother-in-law, Orris Larson; and several nieces and nephews.