Susan Bozung

October 24, 1952 - March 24, 2021

Susan Manwaring Bozung passed away at her home in Heber City, Utah on March 24th, 2021 surrounded by her loving family. Susan was born on October 24th, 1952 in Rexburg, Idaho to James Basil and Edna Adams Manwaring. She was the 6th child in a family that would eventually grow to 12 children, 7 girls and 5 boys. When she was 3 years old, her family moved from Sugar City to Ashton, Idaho where her father had purchased what would become the Manwaring Cheese & Dairy. Growing up in Ashton, Susan was a Tomboy who loved to climb trees, ride bikes, play baseball, swim, mow lawns, babysit for money, and work at the cheese factory with the boys. She was a hard worker. The Ashton Frostop considered her one of their top employees as did the Ashton Swimming Pool where she worked as a lifeguard. She loved animals and was known for bringing home many stray cats and dogs. Her constant concern and compassion for the sick and those in need defined her as a “Nurturer” even from a young age. In 1971, Susan graduated from North Fremont High School where she befriended all classmates. She loved her Ashton friends. High school activities included; playing the bass drum in the marching band, Senior Class Secretary, marching and dancing as an NF Huskidette, powder puff football, pep club, acting in plays and assemblies, seminary, and school socials, she enjoyed it all. Later that fall she attended Ricks College and was excited to become a member of the Vikadette drill team. She graduated from Ricks in 1975. Interim to her college education in 1972, Susan spent several months living in Switzerland with high school friends working as a nurse’s aide. Her father suddenly passed away in November 1972 causing an abrupt return home arriving during the viewing just before the funeral. Recalling her father’s advice, Susan attended nursing school and became an LPN. From August 1975 through January 1976, Susan served a health mission in Taiwan for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints forming many life-long missionary friendships. Susan enjoyed music with a strong alto voice and often sang with her sisters. The accordion was also her mastered instrument. After her mission, Susan attended BYU in Provo, UT where she met and married Gary Bozung in June of 1979. Her college education was put on hold, but Susan later earned her Bachelor’s Degree after their children were born. Gareth, Nathan, Severin and Aubryanna became the Fierce Focus and Love of her Life. The Bozungs made their home in Whittier, California for several years and later relocated to Alpine, Utah. Susan and Gary divorced in 1997, but always kept a very amiable relationship through the years. Their family support was held intact and Gary and Colleen were even there to lovingly help in the last weeks, days, and hours of Susan’s life. Susan loved growing plants and flowers indoors and outside. Filling her myriads of pots and baskets with a vast array of beautiful colors, she created a Garden of Eden everywhere she lived. Her children referred to her as the Plant Goddess. Every summer her stunning show of brilliant blossoms was always a breathtaking sight to behold. Another of Susan’s favorite hobbies was shopping at thrift stores. She was very creative and could make second-hand castoffs come alive with beauty using her crafting abilities, whether it be clothing or decor. Her special decorating touch was added to many family weddings and wedding dinners. She had a very unique style of her own. Using things from nature, other’s discarded “junk” and overused objects, she would create the most beautiful backdrops. Yes, therein may be Susan’s metaphor for life. With a quick wit, she had a stubborn but sunny disposition for life. Always entertaining with her funny sense of humor, she loved playing jokes and pranks. Her optimism and positive outlook on life was contagious. Everyone who met her felt blessed and usually left with a smile on their face. She was the favored aunt to dozens of nieces and nephews always asking, “Is Susan going to be there?” The parties and reunions never really started until Aunt Susan arrived, fashionably late with a grand entrance in her stylish outfits. In November of 2014, Susan was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Thus, began her seven-year struggle with cancer which metastasized to her brain in 2020. Susan was preceded in death by her father and mother, oldest brother Roland Basil (Cathie), older sister Lanette (Mike) Shindurling, and older brother Vance Russell. Susan is survived by her four children, Gareth Sanford Bozung, Nathan Hale Bozung, Severin James Bozung, and Aubryanna Bozung Watkins. Coen, Riley, Sammy, and Connor adored their grandmother whom they called “Suzy.” This was her favorite title, and she adored them--they were the light of her life. They brought her so much joy and all of them basked in Susan’s child-like enthusiasm. Her dedication to her children and grandchildren undoubtedly lengthened her life as she tried to hold on for the next visit and opportunity to serve them. Susan had a simple love for her Savior---“I love Jesus and I know that He loves me.” She truly interacted and related with others as Jesus would. She made everyone around her feel loved and accepted. She had a Christ-like love for all. Susan is survived by siblings, Nessie (Carl) Zitlau of Rigby, ID, Blake (Rosana) Manwaring of Idaho Falls, ID, Jed (Patricia) Manwaring of Boise, ID, Teresa (Wynn) Wilkes of Cedar Hills, UT, Laurie (Boyd) Foster of Ririe, ID, Valene (Val) Erickson of Idaho Falls, ID, Bart (Melanie) Manwaring of Lehi, UT, and Jenae (Scott) Huskinson of Logan, UT. An outdoor “Celebration of Susan’s Life” will be held in the Heber area when the weather warms. Susan’s siblings have planned a summer memorial to inter some of her ashes in a grove of Aspen trees at Granite Creek Ranch off the Swan Valley Highway in Idaho, a peaceful resting place that Susan loved.