Suzanne Hargreaves Blake

Suzanne Hargreaves Blake, 78, cherished wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and friend passed away peacefully on February 14, 2019, after a courageous 6 ½ year battle with cancer.  It is fitting that she would pass away on Valentine’s Day as she loved to celebrate holidays like Valentine’s Day and went out of her way to create thoughtful traditions to show love and concern for her family – she was truly a sweetheart who passed away loved and beloved by so many.

She is survived by her husband, Leon Holt Blake, her children, Darcy Ann (Chris) Miller, Brett Allen (Erin) Blake, Brady Ryan (Gina) Blake, David Carlisle (Bobbi Jo) Blake, Mark Loy (Julianne) Blake and Brock Joshua (Kimberlee) Blake, and her 27 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.   Another son, Todd Cameron Blake, passed away as a child and will be there to meet her in a joyous reunion on the other side along with her only sister Mary Jo Hargreaves Cavender and her parents. 

Suzanne was born and grew up in Portland, Oregon to her parents Doris Louis Conner and Benton Roderick Hargreaves.  As a child, her parents divorced leaving her mother to raise Suzanne and her sister on her own.  Being raised by a single mother created a necessity for Suzanne to learn to work hard and be resourceful – traits she would exemplify throughout her life.  Few things were ever given to Suzanne; everything she achieved throughout her life, she worked for and she soon learned how to excel.  In high school, she was a cheerleader, Student Body Vice President, Gamma Sigma Chapter President and enjoyed choir and drama, all while working every day after school.   She earned a scholarship to Oregon State but turned it down and decided to go with her best friend to a little-known school (to her) in Utah named BYU because she found out they didn’t drink or smoke. Also, the BYU recruiter promised her a job on campus if she attended – so she did. 

In college, Suzanne would wake at 5 am to go to work before classes each day to put herself through school.  After her Freshman year, she began taking Elementary Education classes and loved and excelled at it.  While at BYU, she dated quite a bit until she met a tall, returned-missionary from West Point, Utah who caught her eye.  He asked her out to a football game and they hit it off and began dating exclusively.  During that time, she was introduced to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, developed a testimony of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ and was baptized on January 2, 1960.  Due to her difficult circumstances as a child and the struggle her mother had finding a job with no education or skills, Suzanne was determined to get her degree before she married.   In April 1964, Suzanne graduated with a degree in Elementary Education and soon after married Leon Holt Blake for time and all eternity on August 20, 1964, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. 

After Leon graduated from BYU, Suzanne and Leon moved around from Provo to Oregon to South Ogden to Puerto Rico and to Minnesota to pursue additional educational opportunities for Leon.  Along the way Darcy, then Brett and Brady were born.  Things changed dramatically when she had twin boys, David and Todd, and her skills as a teacher and mother were tested by a young, growing family.  While in Minnesota, Suzanne’s life would change forever when one of the twins, Todd, was killed by a speeding car.  Todd’s death was an eternal reminder to Suzanne and her family of the reality of Eternal Families.  Unfortunately, Suzanne became acquainted with the passing of loved ones again when her dear mother passed away when she was 31, and her only sibling, Mary Jo, passed away when she was 45, both from accidents.  Gratefully, Suzanne found joy and friendship in the Blake family and became forever endeared to her Blake parents, brothers and sisters-in-law. 

After finishing school in Minnesota, Suzanne and Leon moved back to South Ogden where Mark and Brock were born and Suzanne continued her career of teaching.  She loved teaching and was a caring, creative and masterful educator.  She chose to teach kindergarten so she could be home in the afternoon when her kids got home from school.  Suzanne taught several grades over her 30 years of teaching in the Ogden School District where it is estimated that she taught nearly 1,000 students. 

While in Ogden, she became active in the community and was a  member of the Junior League of Ogden and PTA.  She and Leon also developed an amazing group of friends who they would meet with together monthly for dinner and conversation – these supportive and loving friends meant the world to Suzanne and Leon.

Suzanne loved music and the arts.  She didn’t play the piano herself but always had a piano in her home and encouraged her kids to play.  She loved musicals and plays, especially Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Fiddler on the Roof and Wicked, and she always had a song she was singing.

Her faith in the Savior and membership in the church were a driving factor in everything she did.  Suzanne knew how to put the Gospel of Jesus Christ into action by caring for others and reaching out to those who needed a kind note or a plate of food.  She truly lived the Gospel and lived to help others.  Throughout her life, she served as Relief Society President, was involved in Young Women’s and Primary Presidencies, but she especially loved teaching children and enjoyed leading the music.  Later in life, Leon and Suzanne would serve several missions as a couple, which they loved.  They would serve together in Frankfurt Germany twice, Santiago Chile and on Temple Square.  So many of their friends in her later years came from serving in those missions.

Throughout Suzanne’s life, she exemplified the things she taught others.  Hard work was no stranger to Suzanne, and she taught her kids to work – they each had multiple jobs growing up.  She was so creative and that came through in her decorating style, her outfits, her classrooms and her way of doing things.  She was frugal but giving.  She expected her kids to excel in school, run for office, serve missions, marry in the temple, serve others — and they did.  She also loved supporting her kids and grandkids and was each of their biggest fans.  She made it to as many soccer games, choir concerts, dance recitals, and school performances as she could — nothing made her happier than cheering on or cheering up her family.

Leon and Suzanne loved to travel.  Road trips were the norm of her young family, where she would often take her family by herself to new destinations while Leon was working. When she was older, she and Leon would travel frequently to new destinations, but also to their family throughout the country.  They traveled extensively as missionaries throughout Europe and South America and near the end of her life, she was lucky enough to visit the Holy Land with Leon, which became one of her favorite adventures.

Suzanne radiated goodness and kindness and she was easy to like — people loved being around her.  She was also giving and thoughtful – people cared about Suzanne because she cared for them.

In 2012, Suzanne developed ovarian cancer.  No one battled harder than Suzanne.  Cancer spread throughout her body over the years and she had operation after operation, and treatment after treatment, but she wouldn’t let that stop her.   Oftentimes she would have treatment in the morning and then cheerfully make it to a grandkids game that afternoon to cheer them on, even against the recommendation of her doctors.   Secondary complications from cancer finally took her life but not after a valiant fight.  She truly endured to the end.   

“Successful mothers are not the ones that have never struggled, they are the ones that never give up, despite the struggles.”

The Blake family is so grateful for the Huntsman Cancer Institute. The Doctors, nurses and staff loved our Mom and did everything they could to help her battle this cancer over the last 6.5 years – and did so with enthusiasm, hope, optimism, professionalism and compassion. In lieu of flowers and in a small attempt to show our appreciation and contribute to their cause, we’ve set up a fundraising page in Suzanne’s honor for those who would be so kind to contribute. Here is the link if you’d like to do so:  http://bit.ly/SuzanneBlake

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am, Saturday, February 23, 2019 at the Oakridge Ward Chapel located at 1533 N. 1075 W., Farmington, UT.  Family and friends may call at the church from 9:30 to 10:30 am prior to services. A viewing will also be held Friday night, February 22, 2019 from 6 to 8 pm at Russon Mortuary at 1914 N. Main St., Farmington, UT. Interment will be at the West Point Cemetery, West Point, UT.