Susan Mary Boltshauser

Susan Mary (Snedden) Boltshauser Susan Boltshauser, loving wife, mother and grandmother was called to her final resting place on September 8, 2014, she was 69 years old. We are certain she was welcomed home and greeted into the loving arms of her mother Grace. Susan was born on September 23, 1944 in Stockport, England. She was the only child born to James Gore and Grace Willock Snedden. While vacationing in England with her family, Grace met and later married James. During World War ll, James served in the Royal Air Force, and Grace volunteered for the Red Cross. In her early years, Susan lived with both parents in England. When Susan was 3 years old, she and her mother went to New York to visit her grandmother. That trip lasted nearly a year. Susan and her mother traveled back to England aboard The Queen Mary. In 1948, at age 4, Susan and Grace arrived in New York, this time staying in America for good. They lived in Fleshing and Bayside. Susan attended several schools in New York. It was the summer of 1959, when she and her mother packed up their Bayside apartment and traveled out west to Modesto, Ca. Susan attended and graduated from Thomas Downey High School in 1962. Her move to Modesto was an adjustment. She had an East Coast accent, different haircut and wore different clothing. Upon completion of her Freshman year, Grace let Susan spend the summer in New York. During that trip back East, Susan knew she belonged with her mom and that California was where she wanted to be. She made lifelong friends while in her teens. Susan never missed a class reunion. She enjoyed the social gatherings, dancing and catching up with her classmates. She will forever be a Knight! Susan attended Modesto Junior College, but in her words “wasn’t much of a student“. In 1974, she and her family moved to Visalia. Susan loved her home. She raised her children in that home. Susan was active in her children’s lives. She was Vice President of PTA at Mineral King Elementary, she was Room Mother in her children’s classes, she was the Team Leader for her son, Erik’s Cub Scouts. Susan never missed an opportunity to cheer on her kids. She attended every baseball game, music performance, basketball game or sporting event where she could watch her daughter cheer. Susan chaperoned many school dances while her kids were in high school. She loved her children and remained involved in their lives always offering advice, opinions, but most of all love. Susan’s favorite job was working for the Jungwirth family at Togni Branch. She enjoyed meeting people, talking with, and helping, her customers. “Little Sue” was well known as the lady at the front counter with her blue rimmed glasses. In 1982, Susan met and married the love of her life Dave. They were married 6 months after being introduced by a mutual friend. Susan and Dave enjoyed traveling. They would go to Bass Lake in their trailer, spend countless weeks in Pismo, but most of all they cruised the world, taking 30 plus cruises. Susan and Dave took a ride on the London Eye, explored Monte Carlo, climbed the Eiffel Tower, took a Gondola ride in Venice, climbed the Great Wall of China, (well Dave climbed, Susan waited anxiously at the bottom), Kissed the Blarney Stone and visited Dave’s cousin in Switzerland. Susan enjoyed each vacation she took with her husband, but her most memorable was their trip on the Maiden Voyage the Queen Mary 2, in 2004. Susan got to travel back to her roots. She even knocked on the door of her childhood home. The lady living there allowed her to go inside and look around. That trip was an emotional one for her. In 2007, Susan was diagnosed with colon cancer. While this was a major setback, she never let it get the best of her. Although life changed for her after that. She looked at the world differently, valuing each and every day as a gift. When Susan recovered, she and Dave were back to their traveling and continued their cruises around the world. They were lucky enough to secure passage through the Panama Canal. They took several trips to the Berkshires in Massachusetts. They traveled to Branson, Missouri and enjoyed the shows, and they loved Las Vegas. Susan enjoyed good food and live entertainment. She raved about the Jersey Boys. Susan would often say that her children were her greatest accomplishments. However, all of this changed when she became a grandmother. She spoiled and cherished every moment spent with them. Of all the gifts in the world, Susan’s best gifts were time. Time spent with her family is what mattered the most. Holidays were surrounded with loved ones laughing and reminiscing of days gone by and making new memories is what brought sunshine in her life. In 2011 cancer showed its ugly face again. Susan fought like hell to live. It is her will to live, power in prayer and her Faith that God would take care of her that allowed her more time. During her weakest moments and darkest hours, her family was always there, now becoming her BIGGEST CHEERLEADER. In 2013, Susan underwent 2 major surgeries: one in February at UCLA, the second in July at Tulare District Hospital. Prayers were answered and her family was given more time. Susan got to watch her granddaughter’s cheer and sing. She got to watch her grandson play tee ball, and she was able to hold her great grandson Carter in her arms. She was given 8 months before cancer reappeared, this time it came back with a vengeance. Cancer is many things, but it doesn’t destroy Hope, Faith or Love. Susan is preceded in death by her parents, James and Grace Snedden. She is survived by her best friend and husband, David Boltshauser. Her three children: son, Erik (Clara) of Porterville, daughter, Pamela and son, Jason (Dawn) both of Visalia. She leaves behind 4 grandchildren, Megan, Madison, Morgan, and Jackson. And one great grandson Carter. Cousins, Barbara Worthington and John McNulty. Special thanks to Dr. Zulim, Dr. Hsu, Nancy Banks and Melissa Garcia for taking such great care of, and never giving up on, our precious mother. How enriched our lives were to have our wife, mother, and grandmother’s love. On this day heaven gained an Angel, and we lost our greatest hero. A celebration of life well lived will be held at Salser and Dillard, Saturday, September13th at 11:00am. A reception will follow at the Lamp Liter Inn. Burial will be private. The family requests donations be made to The Valley Oak SPCA.

Susan Mary Boltshauser

September 23, 1944 - September 8, 2014