Eulogy of Sue McAllister

Susan Griffith McAllister was born Feb 7, 1953 in Torrance, CA to James Perry Griffith (Grandpa Jim) and Beverly Jensen (Grandma Bev). Her siblings, who were everything to her, were Jim, Nancy, Nick and Gina.

She attended high school in Grantsville, Utah.

Sue went to Dixie college where she met Lynn McAllister and many lifelong friends including Wendy Blomkey with whom she always stayed close, and Mark ‘Woody’ Marshall who became part of her family. These were among the most fun years in Sue’s life and her memories of these times always brought a smile to her face. During breaks in college, she would visit her father’s home in Salt Lake City. Grandpa Jim called her SuziQ.

Around the age of twenty, Sue married Lynn McAllister.

Soon after, the newlyweds moved to Kanab, Utah.

Not so long after that, Cortney was born to them in Kanab.

Susan, Lynn and Cortney later moved to Cedar City where they spent the next 2 years, before moving to Salt Lake City. While living in Cedar City, Sue always said that she would go on drives with Cort, with Cort sound asleep in the front seat, listening to Fleetwood Mac.

She loved USC Football. In 1981 on new years day being 8.5 months pregnant with Eric she sat in the rose bowl watching USC play Ohio State. USC football was a way that she could always connect with her father.

Their residence in Salt Lake City, which is just down the street here, is where Susan spent her most prized and important time of her life which was the home on 1500 East.

It was during this time that Eric was born on the 23rd of January of 1981. After Eric was born Sue quit her job so she could stay home and take care of her two boys. It was important to her to be present during these special years, and she loved nothing more than being a mother. Sue was such a great mom that many considered her a second mother, someone who was always willing to listen, give advice, be a shoulder to cry on, or just talk. She was unparalleled in her ability to relate with and connect with people.

Sue’s friends were never casual acquaintances, she was only capable of making lifelong friendships. She made dear friends with college classmates and those with whom she worked. Some of her dearest friends preceded her in death, including Kathy Becerra Jeffries, Kellie LaFrentz, and Chris Megalonakis, and it’s almost certain they have been sharing stories and laughing and playing cards since their joyful reunion.



Heaven to mom was to have family members from both sides around while jokes were told and games were played. She could’ve died during these times and been extremely happy and satisfied. During the summers in Salt Lake, she loved Camping in the Wasatch mountains and spending time outside. She especially loved spending time in Yellowstone National Park, which is where she was when she learned that her beloved Grandmother had passed away. She regretted not being with her family on that day, but drew on the peace and serenity of the scenic Yellowstone landscapes.

Winters were special to Sue because it allowed her to host many family and friends at her home. She made a Thanksgiving Dinner which could’ve won awards. She always enjoyed taking all of the responsibility for all of the work to make Thanksgiving great so her husband and sons could relax and have a good time.

Christmas was much the same. She was able to host many family members around Christmas in which she was always the last one to receive any attention or care. This is the way she preferred it. Christmas was also a special time because her dad would come in to town to spend the holidays. During these times Jim’s and Nancy’s families were always together, and Sue loved having all of her siblings and their kids together who would all tell you secretly that Sue was their favorite Aunt.

Sue was very active in her community, making it a better place for everyone. She helped start the HEAT program which assisted low income families. She was active in the Highland Park Elementary PTA to ensure that her boys received the best schooling experience possible.

She was a good neighbor to everyone on her street, and basically a daughter to Earl and Hazel Kavitch who lived right across the street. Speaking of daughters, before Tamber and Amy, Sue always referred to her dog Lucy as ‘the daughter I never had’. God willing, her heavenly reunion would have included seeing her beloved Shi-tzu again.

Further along in her life, Sue was able to realize her dream of living in the mountains after she moved to a condo in Park City. She loved watching the colors change, looking for deer and other wildlife, being surrounded by nature but especially she loved when her boys would come visit with their friends. Sue was always happiest when she was with her sons and their friends, who all loved being around her happy and generous personality.

While in Park City, she married Cal Sanders. Sue and Cal enjoyed many years together, spending time in the mountains, and Cowboy Poetry gatherings. They also loved the many concerts that were always held in the summers in Park City and she took pride in the fact that she could find her way into anyone of them without having to pay a cent.

Speaking of music, Sue had a very eclectic appreciation of music from all genres and all periods of time. She shared this love of music with all that knew her, and anyone that spent time with her could name at least one song or artist that reminded them of Sue. She especially loved George Strait and Michael Jackson. Sue’s home was always filled with great music, often at loud volumes, and almost always accompanied by her own voice. Music was a source of strength and inspiration for Sue, it accented her most happy days and supported her during her darkest nights.

Another of Sue’s attributes that she became known for was her witty and dry sense of humor, which she always used to help brighten other’s lives. She was always able to bring laughter into any situation and people loved her for it.

Sue loved nothing more than being a mom until she had grandchildren. Late in her life, Sue lived for 4 months with Eric, Tamber and her grandkids where she was able to become the grandmother she always dreamed of and spoil Emma, Marcus and especially Lilly. And while she never lived close to Cort, Amy and their boys, ‘Grandma Zoo’ as Will called her, stayed as close to them as she could through phone calls, and photos on Facebook and sending them small gifts in the mail so they always knew she was thinking of them.

She spent a lot of her late years with her dear friend Dave Nielson in Dammeron Valley Utah where she was once again reunited with the beauty of Southern Utah, where many of her early memories and friendship were forged.

Sue had a strong faith in God, and always prayed for those who she felt needed blessings of peace and comfort. Sue encouraged both Eric and Cort to be active in their church service, and while both boys served missions Sue was always consistent in writing letters of faith and encouragement. Sue trusted and believed in.

One thing she was very proud of was the men that her sons turned into.

On Thursday, the 24th of October, Sue passed away peacefully in her sleep.