Daughter of Lottie (Lantrip) and Bobbitt King, Sue was born in Madisonville, Kentucky and raised in Evansville, Indiana. After graduating High School she moved to Phoenix, Arizona with her family and attended Arizona State University receiving her bachelor’s degree in Speech Therapy. After she married she became a primary school teacher in Arizona.
In 1966 her family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada after her daughter, Tasha, was born and she became a full time mother until the time of her divorce 12 years later. Having not worked for many years she started back into the workforce as an Assistant Activities Director in a Nursing home. She became a passionate advocate for seniors becoming a Hospice Volunteer and worked her way up to become the Director of the YMCA Senior Day Care Center in Fullerton, Ca., the only service of its kind in Orange County, and then interim YMCA Director. She left the YMCA in 1995 and became the Director of Senior Services for the Inland Empire in Riverside California until her Parkinson’s diagnosis and retirement in 1998.
She retired back to Arizona where she lived with her mother and helped care for her until her death. Even in retirement and moving into assisted living and nursing homes she continued to volunteer and advocate for the seniors around her and was active in the communities she lived in.
She is survived by her daughter Tasha L. Sturm, son in Law Erick A. Sturm, granddaughter Marina H. Sturm and grandson Zane A. Sturm.
A small private ceremony will be held later in the year where she will be buried at sea. We ask in lieu of flowers that donations be made in her name to The Michael J. Fox Foundation (https://www.michaeljfox.org) for Parkinson’s Research in memory of her 25 year battle with Parkinson’s.
Arrangements by Bunker’s Garden Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.
I am a member of Brown Road Baptist Church and remember your mother Sue and your grandmother as well. Sue was active in our church until her Parkinson’s got worse. Even when she could no longer attend she did the email prayer team ministry from her home. She told me it wasn’t her calling, but it was something she could do until God chose someone for it. When I started I had no experience and she gave me what instruction she could in a few meetings at their home, until I got the feel for it.
I was able to visit your mom at Genesis and tell her what a blessing she had been to me and others and how much God loved her. I will celebrate her going home to him, knowing she was greeted with open arms.
Dear Tasha and family, We live in Cottonwood now. I just learned about your Mom’s passing. My sincere condolences but also joy that she’s totally whole even as I type this !
She always had a good attitude whenever I visited with her and so appreciative of people’s kindness and so proud of her family : )
My own son died last July. I still feel the weight yet the collateral joy that he’s not trapped in a body with so many difficulties , as is your beloved Mom, and they are with Jesus free of this life’s burdens !
My heart goes out to you all. I know it’s been a difficult road of many years but the love filled memories will cover them all with a warm loving smile from
Sue, your Mother / Grandmother
Love in Christ, blessings and as always God’s Grace Nan
What a wonderful service celebrating your mom. As part of the Hearts in Service group at Brown Road Baptist Church I visited your mom at Brookdale then the group home then Genesis. She was one of my favorite people to visit because of her positive attitude, her stories about her family, and the fact that she was always appreciative of a visit. I especially remember her great laugh. She was so proud of you and the grandchildren. I am thankful to have known her.