Sue Harrison

Sue Ann Harrison passed away on Friday, Jan. 6, 2017, after an eight-year battle with dementia. Sue was born in April 1941 to Lester and Eldrey DeBoer in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.

Sue met her husband of 50 years through their involvement in the First Presbyterian Church Youth Group in Wausau, Wis. After graduating from Wausau High School in 1959, she and Howard were married in August of that year.

Howard had enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, and they began their "world tour" stationed in Myrtle Beach, S.C. While Howard served a tour of duty in Vietnam, a pregnant Sue returned to Wisconsin to prepare for the arrival of their first daughter, Kay Marie, in 1965.

The young family's next stop was in Germany. Sue's high school German language class paid off as they lived off base and became part of the German community. While in Europe, they skied in Austria, toured castles in Germany and made many lifelong friends.

In 1970, twins Tim and Tammy arrived while stationed in Peru, Ind., and John joined the family in Mountain Home, Idaho, in 1973. Okinawa, Japan, was the next adventure where Sue first became involved in Girl Scouts with her daughters. While stationed there, she enjoyed trips to Korea and the Philippines.

After returning to Idaho in 1979, Howard and Sue decided to retire and raise their family in Mountain Home. Sue worked part time, driving a school bus and started working in the school kitchens. She became Kitchen Manager at Hacker Middle School and enjoyed her job, co-workers and working with kids.

As a family, weekends were often spent camping and fishing at Fall Creek and skiing at Soldier Mountain. Sue enjoyed reading, ceramics and gardening in her spare time. She and her husband were very involved in Girl Scouts, and later in life, volunteers with Meals-On-Wheels.

Sue was a born leader with a vibrant personality and a giving soul. It was heartbreaking for us all to watch her lose her wonderful life memories, robbed by dementia.

Sue is preceded in death by her mother, father and her husband, Howard. She is survived by her sister, Karen Tesch in Wisconsin; her children, Kay Harrison, Tammy Jessup, Tim Harrison and John Harrison; seven grand-children; and numerous great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel, in Mountain Home. Inurnment will be held at a later date at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, where her ashes will be placed with Howard's.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Silver Sage Girl Scout Council in Boise or the Mountain Home Meals-On-Wheels program.