Sue Stevens

Sue Stoddard Stevens, 89, passed away peacefully due to congestive heart failure on Sunday, June 4, 2017, at her daughter’s home in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
 
Sue was born April 1, 1928, in La Grande, Oregon, to Alexander Lester and Blanche Black Stoddard. She was raised in Salt Lake City and graduated from East High School in 1945 where she was Homecoming Queen and Student Body Secretary. She majored in Music Education, with an emphasis in Choral Music, while attending both Brigham Young University and the University of Utah. She married her sweetheart, Robert Van Stevens, on February 5, 1951, in the Salt Lake Temple.
A devoted member of the LDS Church her entire life, Sue served faithfully in numerous capacities. She completed a Spanish speaking mission while serving in Texas from June 1949-December 1950. Along with their family, she and her husband served as President and “Mission Mother” over the Spain Mission from 1973-1976. The legacy of their service in Spain has influenced the lives of numerous members from that beloved country and missionaries who lovingly called her “Sister Sue.” Later in life, Bob and Sue served together in the Salt Lake City Inner City Mission (Liberty Stake), and were both ordained workers in the Salt Lake Temple.
Sue was a gifted teacher and eloquent speaker. In this capacity, she blessed countless lives with her testimony of The Savior and the restoration of His gospel, her kind and gentle manner, and genuine compassion. “Sweet Sue” continued to be loved by all and was truly everyone’s sweetheart.   
Her legacy will live on and be stamped in the lives and hearts of all her children and children’s children for generations.  
Survived by her five children, Jan Stevens of Shelley, ID; Jill (Stephen) Smoot of Ammon, ID; Michael J. Stevens (Cheri Anne Daily) of Ogden, UT; Kelly (Shawn) Mattingly of Sandy, UT; and Matthew S. (Catherine) Stevens of Ammon, ID. She is the adored “Grandma Sue” to 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren, with one more to join the family soon. Also survived by her brother, Charles Phillip “Phil” Stoddard and her sister, Judith “Judy” Stoddard (Oscar W.) McConkie, Jr., both of Salt Lake City, UT. Preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her sister, Ann Stoddard Reese, brother-in-law, Lester G. Reese, and sisters-in-law, Vera Lacey Stoddard and Shirley Maughn Stoddard.
A viewing in Idaho will be held on Thursday, June 8, 2017, from 7-8:30 p.m. at Wood Funeral Home East Side, 963 S. Ammon Road, Ammon, Idaho, and again on Friday, June 9, 2017, from 9:45-10:45 a.m. at the Ammon Idaho East Stake Center (Cottages Ward Building), 2200 Stafford Drive, Ammon, Idaho. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the same location.
Utah memorial services will be on Saturday, June 10, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 255 South 200 East, Salt Lake City, Utah. A viewing will be held prior to the services at the same location from 9:45-10:45 a.m.  Burial will be in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.