Sue Frances Hollenbaugh
Sue Frances Hollenbaugh
Sue Frances Hollenbaugh, 78, passed away on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 in a Boise care facility after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Sue was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania May 1, 1938 to Stewart and Gertrude George. Sue was a spirited child and lived an adventurous preschool life. When Sue was nearing school age her father’s job took him to Belmont, Mass. where Sue attended grade school. As a third grader, Sue and a friend collected $55.95 in coins for the Children’s Hospital fund drive by going door to door in their neighborhood. Sue’s father served with the Red Cross for two years on overseas assignment during WWII. For all of her life Sue remembered those years of fear that she would not see her daddy again.
After the war, the family moved to Boston and Sue became a big sister. Priscilla was born September 21, 1946. Within a few years, the family moved to Manchester, New Hampshire. There, Sue entered high school and made many new friends. She remembered the trips with friends to a beach on the Atlantic shore just a few miles away and the swimming, music and sunburns that followed. Sue graduated in 1955. She believed that the family moves and the different schools she attended were a benefit because she attracted a large number of life-long friends from Pennsylvania to Maine. Also, she learned to play the piano, ice skate, and write with either hand.
Sue had fond memories of the family summer vacations on an island off the coast of Maine, and the fun times with her cousins when the families would get together. Sue loved to travel and toured the western states, Yellowstone National Park and Disneyland with her family.
After high school graduation, Sue and two friends enrolled at a small women’s college. At the end of the first year the news came that her father had been appointed director of a charitable organization in Boise, Idaho. The family moved to Boise in 1957.
Sue attended Boise Junior College for a year and made many friends. Some said they liked her because she talked funny. Then she transferred to the University of Idaho. She joined Pi Beta Phi sorority, started thinking about a teaching career, and graduated in 1960 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
During her last semester Sue met her future husband on a blind date. Ken, a U of I graduate, had just returned from the military and was staying with friends while job hunting. Ken and Sue dated for about six weeks before he left Moscow for his new job in Washington state. After graduating Sue moved back to her home in Boise. She took summer classes at BJC to get a teaching certificate and embarked on her teaching career at Cole Elementary school. A year of phone calls, letters, and two visits led to a proposal and Sue and Ken were married on July 21, 1961. Their new life started in Sumas, Washington.
Sue was born to teach. She had a way of connecting with young students that opened their minds to learning and thus earned the admiration and respect of the parents. She especially enjoyed teaching 4th and 5th grade students.
In Washington Sue applied for and received a teaching certificate. She taught for two years until Ken was transferred to southern California. The couple moved to Big Bear City at 6500 feet elevation in the San Bernardino Mtns., in the middle of Winter. Again, Sue applied for and received a teaching certificate and became a regular substitute teacher and school pianist in Big Bear City. As usual, Sue made many friends through school, church, and civic activities. While in Big Bear, Sue traded teaching for motherhood. Brad, the first of three sons, was born on March 13, 1965. Sue loved the mountains and she felt that being a mother made her life complete.
Later that year the company offered Ken a leave of absence to return to graduate school. Ken accepted and the family moved to Moscow, Idaho in Feb. 1966. Sue was a busy mother but did teach one year at Moscow Junior High.
Ken received his PhD from U of Idaho in June 1968 and soon thereafter resigned his position with the company in California and joined the faculty at Boise College. Sue and her beloved family were making the last move of her life, back to Boise.
Number two son Greg was born on August 16, 1968, and David joined the family on July 7, 1970. Sue was a wonderful stay at home mom for the next several years. The boys were raised with tender loving kindness and a firm hand. Sue also was getting more involved in social activities at Boise State. She joined the faculty wives club and was instrumental in establishing a scholarship program and related fund raising events. She loved sports, music and theater and was a avid Bronco fan. She greatly enjoyed tailgate parties, luncheons, and other social events with her many new friends.
Summers were for vacations and trips to visit her parents in Arizona, or Ken’s parents and relatives in Ohio, or old friends in New Hampshire. Her most favorite vacation was the annual trip to the Oregon Coast, which became a tradition for 30 years. In later years it grew into a family reunion with all of the grandchildren, and Sue’s sister and her family.
More of Sue’s favorite things were; soft music in the home and car, playing the piano, walking on the beach, ocean sunsets, class reunions, going to church and her Bible study group, a glass of wine, the sun Valley Jazz Festival, cooking, ice skating, the color purple, and her lively 94-year-old aunt Grace that taught her how to ice skate.
Sue is survived by her husband, Ken; three sons, Brad (Tammy), Greg (Lauren), David; seven grandchildren, Justin, Jessica and Kendall (Brad/Tammy) Charles and Sandy (Greg/Lauren) twins, Arden and Faith (David); sister Priscilla (Vern), and several cousins and nieces.
Sue was preceded in death by her father and mother.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 1st at 10:00 a.m. at Cole Community Church, Boise.
May 1, 1938 ~ September 14, 2016
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