Honoring the incredible life of
Dr. Susan D. Wells-Ikonen
October 30, 1952 – February 18, 2026
Thank you for showing up to honor the remarkable legacy of Dr. Susan D. Wells-Ikonen.
Susan overcame a violently abusive childhood to get admitted to the University of Alabama Dental School as 1 of only 4 women in a class of 60. She refused to remain a victim.
A true pioneer for women in dentistry, Susan ranked in the top 4% of her profession nationally and the top 2% in Alabama. That includes all dentists, not just women!
She remarried and gave birth to a healthy baby boy at age 40 and created a happy and close family with lots of pets.
Susan excelled in business and travelled the world with her family from the Continental U.S. to Hawaii, Finland, Sweden, Lapland, the United Kingdom, France and the Seychelles. She absorbed the Finnish culture, learned to bake Finnish Christmas pastries, wore traditional Finnish clothing and even learned to speak a few sentences in Finnish. Susan loved America and Finland.
She was a licensed scuba diver. A runner. A proud owner of three Corvettes. We called her the female Indiana Jones.
Susan was fearless in business and unwavering in principle. She believed in personal responsibility. She demanded excellence, from herself and from everyone around her. She disliked excuses and had no patience for victimhood.
In addition to being a devoted wife and mother, Susan was also a passionate animal lover. In retirement, she rescued over 70 homeless cats and found them loving forever homes.
Susan passed away peacefully on February 18, 2026, surrounded by her loving family and friends.
Susan was a lifelong, avid University of Alabama fan.
Susan dearly loved animals, plants, and flowers.
A giant Thank You to the Top Gun doctors and nurses at Grandview Medical Center and Alabama Neurological Surgery & Spine for the love and expert care you gave Susan and for never giving up on her.
With love,
Jyrki Tapio and Markus Ikonen
