Susan Catherine King

Susan Catherine King, 74, of Idaho Falls, passed away peacefully of natural causes on May 17, 2023, at her home.

Susan was born July 29, 1948, in Tokyo, Japan, to Garland Bryan King Jr. and Betty Jean King (Ledgerwood). As an Army Brat, she lived all over the world: Japan, California, Germany, Alabama, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Arkansas. She graduated from Sierra Vista High School in Sierra Vista, Arizona. She attended the University of Arkansas where she earned her Bachelor of Art as a History major.

Upon graduating college, Susan moved to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, and worked for Phillips Petroleum. That is where Susan’s daughter, Shannon, was born. Susan and Shannon later settled in Tucson, Arizona, in 1986. Susan was a self-proclaimed “desert rat” and loved living in the desert. In Tucson, Susan worked as a County Assessor for Pima County. She retired from her position in 2015.

The Summer of 2020, Susan decided to move to Idaho to live closer to family. Her brother, Bryan, flew to Arizona and drove her to Idaho. That road trip was a bonding experience between two siblings that had lived apart for many years. Susan was able to purchase her home in 2022, and was thrilled when her daughter, Shannon, moved from Tucson to join her in Idaho.

Susan was a member of the Methodist Church. She was an avid reader and loved sci-fi, mystery, and crime novels. She had a huge collection of treasured books that sadly she couldn’t bring to Idaho with her. She donated the books to the library and hoped the books would receive hours of enjoyment as they did for her. She enjoyed singing and writing songs. She sang at her niece’s wedding, and that is a treasured memory. She loved to ride horses and had her own horse in Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Her daughter, Shannon, was the center of her life. They spoke several times a day and were very close. Susan’s lifelong dream was to run a sanctuary for animals. She was an animal lover through and through. Susan was a proud Democrat. It was important to her to be affirming and loving to all people.

Susan is survived by her loving daughter, Shannon McCoy King of Idaho Falls, ID; brother, G. Bryan (Deanna) King III of Iona, ID; nephew, G. Bryan (Telindalee) King IV of Stuart, FL; niece, Shawna (Dan) Murdoch, of Idaho Falls, ID; nephew, Benjamin (Kristie) King of Newport, QLD, Australia; 9 grand nieces and nephews; and 2 great nieces. We will all miss her terribly.
Susan was preceded in death by her parents, Garland Bryan and Betty Jean King, Jr. 

A private Memorial will be held at the home of Susan’s niece on Saturday, May 27, 2023, at 12 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations be made to the Snake River Animal Shelter.