Susan Wood Harrison, 73, of Mt. Carmel, Illinois passed away on Friday, November 6, 2026, at Wabash General Hospital.
She was born on August 19, 1953, in Jacksonville, Illinois, daughter of Byron and Jane Wood.
The family moved to Mt. Carmel and operated Wood’s Department Store. She attended grades 1 through 12 in Mt. Carmel and attended Eastern Illinois University to attain a teaching degree, and later a master’s degree in 1995 from Indiana Wesleyan. Her first job teaching was in Bone Gap, Illinois, where she taught classroom children and coached girls’ volleyball.
She married Kent Harrison, of Harrison Well Service, in October of 1980 and dropped her teaching job to raise her son, Clint Wood Harrison (spouse Mallory Harrison, daughter Ava Brumagin). In the later 1980’s, when the bottom fell out of the oil field work, she resumed teaching at Mt. Carmel High School. She taught in the special education program and later took over the position of Director of Special Education for the surrounding area.
She and her husband Kent shared the passion of motorcycling, both on road touring and off-road riding. When they and many close friends started racing off-road motorcycles, Susan took her place on the Team Bruise Pit Crew under the direction of Dave Schrader.
When son Clint came along, a motorcycle with a sidecar was bought and the family continued to spend weekends riding the Midwest roads.
Her most special memories were made on the back of a Harley as they discovered the beauty of Southern Colorado mountain back roads. When Clint was old enough, they 4-wheeled Jeep trails into the mountains. Later, this led to many explorations into the back country, with the family on off-road motorcycles.
After retirement, Susan enjoyed planting flowers and feeding hummingbirds. A house was built on some acreage, and she threw herself in the decorating of the new house and mowing the property to resemble a city park. She and her dog, Sally, enjoyed the big spaces and went everywhere together.
She would like to be remembered most for the many children she helped navigate through high school and reach graduation and adulthood.
She and her family are long-standing members of Zion Lutheran Church.
Lutheran Funeral Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at Zion Lutheran Church.
Memorial contributions in memory of Susan Wood Harrison can be made to the Wabash County Animal Shelter Buddies or Zion Lutheran Church. Envelopes will be available at Short-Cunningham Funeral Home.
Condolences may be made online at www.short-cunninghamfh.com.
Short-Cunningham Funeral Home is honored to serve the Harrison family.
