Sozel "Sue" Noble Casasanto

She was born on December 26, 1934 in Boise, Idaho, the fourth of seven children, to John Edgar Noble and Priscilla Allen Noble. Sue's home in Kuna, Idaho provided her limitless opportunities to work in the fields and care for the farm animals. Her older siblings were largely responsible for her upbringing, which she referred to endearingly throughout her life.

Sue graduated from Boise High School in 1952, While working in Boise, she met George Edward Duke of Fitchburg, Massachusetts, at a dance at nearby Mountain Home Air Force Base; they fell in love and married April 30, 1955. They would later be sealed in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1965. At Sue's insistence, George would attend and graduate college following his military service on the GI Bill, which took them to Rochester, New York. While attending Rochester Institute of Technology, Sue would give birth to the first of her three children, Jeffrey Alan. Five and six years thereafter she would give birth to David Michael and Kimberly Ann. The family would settle outside Hartford, Connecticut and would later move to Hyde Park, Holliston, Wilbraham, Massachusetts.

Sue stayed home to raise the children, managing the family finances and lovingly nurturing her and George's three children. She taught correct principles and insisted on adherence to such by the kids. She prepared meals daily, organized the kids' chores and helped with and supervised the completion of the children's homework. She was a voracious reader and was very active in church leadership, serving as a ward and stake Relief Society president, which often resulted in long Sundays and weekday travel to neighboring Latter-day Saint congregations. Her devotion to church and the Savior was an inspiration to George and the children.

In February 1976, Sue's husband George died unexpectedly. George's passing was devastating but Sue persevered. In 1977, she married Wai Chao, an MIT-educated mechanical engineer living in Boston. Sadly, Wai died of cancer of the esophagus in 1979 at age 57. Shortly thereafter, Sue moved to Walnut Creek, California and worked as an executive secretary at Castle & Cooke where she met Joseph Casasanto, whom she married in August 1985. Together they would travel the world while living in the Bay Area, Sun Lakes, Arizona and Laguna Woods, California.

Sue loved experiencing firsthand foreign cultures and cuisine but was always happy to return to America. While living in Arizona and California, Sue enjoyed playing tennis and golf with Joe and friends. She gradually became increasingly health conscious and exercised nearly every day. Sue also enjoyed cooking, which was a love and talent of her husband Joe. Sue's kids and grandkids have incorporated many of Sue and Joe's recipes into their regular menus. Her Christmas caramels, a recipe shared with her by a dear friend while living in Boston, is an annual favorite of Duke friends and family members.

Sue was preceded in death by her mother and father, her husbands George Duke and Wai Chao, sisters Agnes (Noble) and Jean (Grow) and brothers David, John and Allen Noble. She is survived by husband Joe Casasanto and brother George Noble, her children Jeffrey (Joy), David (Terry) and Kimberly Jakobsen, as well as 11 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

A Visitation and Graveside Service will be held at Valley of the Sun Mortuary & Cemetery, Chandler, Arizona. The visitation is 9-9:30 am and a graveside service at 10 am. The Duke and Casasanto families are grateful for the professional and loving care provided by Legacy Retirement Community and Aspire Hospice and all of Sue's doctors, nurses, and technicians.