Susann Thompson Hancey

On March 26, 2025, the world lost an epic Mama Bear.

A real-life Clarkston cowboy (Dean Samuel Thompson) and a modern career woman moonlighting as a blue-ribbon winning homemaker (Cleo Susie Burt) created fire on January 5, 1947. They christened her Susann Thompson.

Her dad was a hard worker. He loved baseball, basketball, hunting, and fishing--the ultimate sportsman. He was also a prankster. Imagine Susie hanging out at the drive-in with a carload of friends, doing what teenagers do. Suddenly, dad pulls up alongside the action, his widow down, singing with the radio at the top of his lungs. Dean would also like to wait around for Susie to come home from dates in his underwear.

Her mom also loved work. She brought home the bacon as an x-ray tech in the 50’s. And she drove like she was flying a P38 Mustang. Her mom would buy Susie the cutest dolls, but she would never play with them. Susie always had a stray kitten in her arms. She had no interest in dolls until the Cabbage Patch Doll craze of 1983. Mom would hunt those dolls like a bounty hunter.

Susie grew up a Providence cowgirl. Her first bathroom was an outhouse. As a pre-teen, she would ride a horse in the foothills and sleep under the stars below saddle rock. She often shared stories of barrel racing, displaying impressive shin scars as proof of her tight turns. She loved to drag main with friends “borrowing” her brother’s pink and white, 4-on-the-floor pickup. She sported a marvelous teenager tan, earned with hours on a hot tin roof lathered in baby oil.

She hosted Season One of the Bachelor-Providence. As her sister-in-law Sherrin tells the story: “Susann and I were both dairy princesses for Providence City. After one of the sponsored events, she asked if I would like a ride home. Her brother Val was picking her up. She had me get in first, but instead of getting in after me, she shut the door and was gone! It was very awkward, but the rest is history!”

Susie met her man on a blind date at 19. Susann Thompson and Blaine W. Hancey Jr. were married on St. Patrick's Day in 1967. Dad was whipped. As evidence, we tell this story. One hot summer evening (pre-A/C), Blaine was dropping Susie off at her front door. Dean was “lounging” on the couch. Blaine looked through the screen door and exclaimed, “Susie, I think he’s naked this time!” Date over.

She was, first and foremost, a Mother in Zion. Her every waking (and those few sleeping moments) focused on strengthening her family in every way a soul could be strengthened. Her joy was in seeing others grow. And proclaiming that growth to the world.

She taught her children how to climb trees, build fires, grow gardens, cross-stitch, heal wounds, toilet paper a foe’s home, bake and cook (there is a difference), hand-dipped chocolates, and savor a cold Tab (later the family converted to Diet Coke). She firmly believed in her kids skipping school to ski. When a school asked about any child’s excessive absences, she would say her child was “feeling under the weather.”

She raised a class of four: Mark (Tiffany), Brian (Suzanne), Kristin Klunker (Steven), and Jason (Rosie). There was always room for more in her class. Many neighborhood kids and family friends called her mom.

Truth be told, her first son (and perhaps her favorite) was her baby brother Craig. Craig was 10 years younger. He went everywhere with her. Sometimes surrounded by her girlfriends, other times he chaperoned a date. They shared a rare closeness. It was with Craig that she beta tested her version 1.0 momma bear skills.

She was a fabulous host. Her motto was "feed a few with 5,000 loaves and fishes." She would also feed the one, typically occurring after a child returned home from a late night date or party. She was a crafty inquisitor.

She loved to drive, preferably a wood-paneled Jeep Wagoneer-- a well-used tow strap at the ready. She favored snow under the tires, and loaded her rig with more souls than seat belts. She drove the neighborhood to school about as often as the bus.

She loved the Lord and served Him in Primary, Young Women, Scouts, and IWA at USU (LDS Institute Women’s Association). Her favorite was Primary--always Primary. Contrary to popular belief, Susann invented ministering. She bore others’ burdens and comforted all who stood in need of comfort. She loved her Savior, and His plan of happiness. We all knew because she fed His sheep.

She loved to create. She had an eye. She could see a thing long before it was a thing. All of her children have rooms painted by Grandma in some magical theme; some Princess and some Potter. She sewed, painted, and likely invented the reclaimed barn-wood craft craze. For a time, her works were sold in Jackson Hole and Park City galleries. We cannot wait to see her future creations.

She was a road tripping momma: destination Disneyland or Yellowstone in the Tioga Arrow motorhome. All the kids wanted the front seat, so we put a folding chair in the middle. The chair was easy to move when Mom and Dad swapped drivers at 80 mph.

She was a nurturer. She could will anything back to life and health. Things she could not cure personally, she became their healing patron. Her name was on every vet's Christmas card list.

She loved the temple -- as a young mother she worked at the Logan Temple. She spoke sweetly of the pioneer woodwork and finish work before the 1976 remodel. She cried recently when her prophet announced the Logan Temple restoration. Do not be surprised if that restoration timeline hastens.

Susann has roots in Switzerland. So, when Blaine retired early (after selling a successful business), they served a mission at the Switzerland Temple. She shepherded many things, including the temple patron hostel. At that time, the Swiss Temple served saints from Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Austria, North Africa, and Jerusalem. Every week brought saints speaking a new language. She made them all feel loved. She was blessed with the ability to understand them and (on a few tender occasions) spoke their language. Mom and Dad researched Susie’s ancestors and saw their ancestral homes. They were humbled by her ancestors’ faith and testimony to leave the beauty of Switzerland for the sagebrush of Zion.

She held season tickets to every grandchild's basketball game, mountain bike race, jam ball league (JBL™) game, wrestling match, track meet, recital, and young writers award. Woe unto any ref that called foul on one of her own. To be honest, there were precious few meaningful basketball games, given her vertically challenged posterity.

Her talent and stamina to nurture was limitless. Her posterity understands the love and determination of the Lord of the Vineyard expressed in Jacob 5:5.

She was an advocate. She would defend and protect those she loved with an eternal zeal. Those that knew Susann understand the power of having an advocate and the power associated with that title. Her posterity has a glimpse of God's power to protect and shelter described in Isaiah 40:11, D&C 84:88-90, and D&C 29:2.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a one-eyed cat, a three-legged other cat, Freckles, Freckles the Younger and Freckles the Third (all trophy mule deer she hand-fed) plus an entire petting zoo. But no plants. All of her plants lived. Now it is up to Blaine to keep them alive--pray for him.

She is survived by her faithful husband, Blaine W. Hancey Jr., and her tender brothers Val Dean (Sherrin) Thompson and Craig (Debbie) Thompson. She has a posterity of 14 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of sending flowers, grow more flowers. She loved flowers.

Family and friends are invited to gather at noon on April 12:00 PM at the Providence 3rd Ward Chapel (309 S Main), the chapel where she raised her family. Together we will comfort and mourn and testify and laugh.

Family visitation before the funeral from 10:30-11:50. Susann will be laid to rest in the Logan Cemetery.

Funeral services are under the direction of White Pine. To attend virtually, you are welcome to use this Zoom link and password: ZOOM LINK. Password: 324767

We invite you to share condolences and memories with Susann’s family via CLICKING HERE 

She will be sweetly missed, but her song will never die.

We love you, Mom.