People of the Palouse

Suzy

McNeilly

Those of us who call “The Palouse” our home already understands this area is special. And it took living and traveling all over the world for one woman to land in this area and realize she had found a place to call home at the end of the road in a yellow farmhouse. And a place that she would begin creating “her tribe” of people that brings love and joy in her life. With that, let me introduce you to Suzy McNeilly whose has made Colfax, Washington her home since 2006.

Suzy was born in California and at the age of six moved with her parents to Japan when her dad, who was in the Navy was transferred. She describes herself as a “3rd Culture Kid”. She explains this a child who is influenced both by their parents’ culture and the culture in which they are raised and basically a blending of the two but yet unique to the child, thus a 3rd culture.

This kind of experience gave way to opportunities during her formative years to learn first-hand in how to understand people as well as navigate with ease in different cultures and situations. Suzy recalls that she was the only Caucasian child in her International girls school. While learning in English, she says the children were instructed to only speak English when on the playground — but spoke Japanese. When Suzy was 14, the family moved back to the States and while it was a big cultural change, especially as a teen, Suzy easily made her way back into life in America. Being socially outgoing and an athlete, it was easy finding teens who had similar backgrounds like hers, thus learning how to create her own tribe.

Being raised in the military, it was a normal path where she too joined the Navy as a Corpsman and did two years in active duty. Suzy then married, had three children and went onto get a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. During her last tour in Iceland, she took a civil service position as the NATO Health & Wellness Director. Fast forward a few years and some major changes in life started her down a different pathway after her mom passed away, she moved to Spokane to be close to her dad.

Later on, after relocating to the Pacific Northeast and being a people person, Suzy interviewed and was hired for the Colfax Council on Aging as their Volunteer Coordinator, later becoming their Nutrition Director. Pieces started falling into place as Suzy later married into a local 4th generation farm and ranching family who homesteaded and established their farm back in 1867.

The McNeilly operation grows grains, hay and have a cow/calf feed lot. Currently Suzy is the County Managing Director for the Southeast Washington Economic Development Association (SWEDA) and as she describes her job as being an advocate for helping small businesses succeed. She is also the President of the Friends of the Library Association and says that this is the kind of volunteer work that feeds her soul. After living on military bases throughout her childhood and adult life, she relishes living in the country in wide open spaces. The lure of life on a farm and the awe-inspiring fact that you are helping feed America (& the world) makes you appreciate all the hard work that goes into raising food. There is no prerequisite that says you can only love farming unless you are born into a farm family. In some people it simply speaks to their heart & soul. When Dick and Suzy’s 8 grandchildren come to visit, they enjoy the hands-on learning and all the ins and outs of ranch and farming life. This is especially true for granddaughter, Alexis. Alexis is now 14 and has spent 4 weeks during the summer and one week in the fall helping on the farm for the last several years. This is where she has found her love and plans on making this her vocation, which thrills Grandpa Cowboy & Grandma Suzy. Sadie, whom at age 5, came to visit and said, “so where’s the cowboy that runs this place?” Henceforth how the loving term arose of “Grandpa Cowboy” came to be.

And Suzy as well has fell under the spell of loving farm life and she told me that for the first time this is where she has felt settled. She helps, if an extra hand is needed here and there. Other than that, when she isn’t working at her off-the-farm job and her volunteer work, she has created a quiet haven for those who choose to stay at their Airbnb house appropriately named “The Farmhouse”. Suzy’s passion is creating experiences for her guests as well as giving them an insight on farm life. Often times while chatting with them, it leads to hosting impromptu BBQ’s where life passions and interests are shared with each other. Guests are charmed by the cattle in the pasture next to the house and that allows Suzy to share a more in-depth discussion about life on the ranch and putting a personal face of those who put food on America’s dinner table.

And I thought to myself after listening to Suzy’s story, that just like in a fairytale, she found her prince, lives in their very special kingdom and it’s her own happily ever after.

And when you think about it, isn’t this what we all want in life? Creating and living a life to the best of our abilities, finding our own tribe of people that brings happiness and joy, and finding that very special place where you feel settled. I can attest to the power of rural living, and while I realize it’s not for everyone, those of us who do choose the Palouse and the amazing people who live, work and play in this area, I think we are beyond blessed and have it all, don’t you?

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