Susan Joseph Lauder

Today I wiped the tears from her eyes, brushed back her beautiful hair and kissed her soft lips for the last time.

She fought long and hard, she was not a quitter but knew it was time to go. She knew her condition and future well. Anyone that knew Susan knows what she meant when she said, “That’s enough of this; I’m going to go look for my son and father.” She did not want to spend the rest of her life in her present condition and knew it would always be that way. Susan was strong, exceptionally smart, proud, and breathtakingly beautiful.

Born May 22, 1946 in Cedar City, Utah. She is survived by the love of her life, her best friend, her soul mate, her compatriot, her confidante, her fellow adventurer, Veldon Lauder of Sun Valley, Idaho. Her sweet beautiful mother Beverly Joseph, her two sisters, Kathy Hooton (Nelson) and Jeannie Owens, and brother Keith Joseph and his wife Jeanne whom she considered a sister. She had 18 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her father Keith Joseph Sr. and her son Ron Markovich who passed away in 2001. Susan has many nieces and nephews that she loved dearly. She had 3 step children, Tamara, Debara and Robert that she loved and treated as her own. In her final days her family was with her constantly and Tamara lived with us and took a nurse aid course to better be able to help.

Susan was a proud union member and a proud liberal. She retired from Albertson’s. Then became a Business Agent for the UFCW labor union. Susan attended UT TECH College and the U of U. Susan dedicated her life to helping others and helped raise several of her grandchildren. In 1996 we semi-retired and spent many years in and around Yellowstone and winters in Palm Springs, Ca. She told me a hundred times that the best years of her life were those spent in and around Yellowstone looking at the beautiful scenery and wild life. Her favorite was an older white female wolf nicknamed Nanook. Susan knew and understood there was a place in our world for wolves running wild and free.

MY DARLING SUSAN is free now from her pain and anguish. She has gone to a better place, but the world is a lesser place without her and I will be lost without her.

In lieu of flowers please send a donation to DEFENDERS OF WILDLIFE wolf fund.