Our dear wife, mother, aunt, and friend extraordinaire passed away July 9, 2023 in the UCLA Medical Center ICU from complications of her severe lung disease while awaiting a lung transplant. Susan leaves behind her husband David, son Sam (Carly) and grandchildren Eleanor, Graham and Emma as well as her son Joey. She was preceded in death by both her mother and father. Grieving are a host of family and friends too large to number.
Susan was born March 12, 1961 in Seattle, Washington to Hal H. and Alice Annette Montgomery Bourne. Her mother passed away in 1964 due to leukemia. Their reunion must be a great joy to both.
She served an LDS mission to Chicago and worked in the Washington DC office of Senator Orrin Hatch, as a staffer on the Senate Judiciary Committee. Later in life she was a benefactor to many great causes and charities.
She married David Reed Spafford on November 24, 1987. Their love and life together was as if it were a dream. She made Dave a better man, and he loved her deeply to the core of his being. No good he accomplished in any pursuit during their marriage would have been possible without her. Susan inspired and gave life to every success.
In her youth, she excelled in dance and swimming but especially in being a true, loyal, kind, thoughtful and generous friend. She continued throughout her life to live with great gusto, bringing along everyone who was lucky enough to be family or friend. She made everyone in her orbit better, and she had an uncanny knack of making every person feel loved, valued, elevated and important. She had a light within her that brightened every room she entered, and her laughter was great. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and a true disciple, Susan followed Jesus Christ humbly and never put anyone off by false religious pretense. She was the real deal. As she lay at her home in the last month of her life, she insisted on renewing her temple recommend, knowing her likelihood of using it was potentially fading.
Susan loved to travel and loved to share her good fortune, hosting family and friends on “once in a lifetime adventures.” She had a great capacity for planning and having fun around the world. She took tens of thousands of photographs, and she shared them with the subjects of the photos. Her exceptional eye and powers of observation made her photographs spectacular.
Susan had tremendous taste in all things beautiful. Fashion, Accessories, Home Décor, Garden Design; just about anything and everything she touched had that “I wish I had thought of that” finish. And true to her character, she shared surprises galore with legions of lucky people with her goodness and taste.
Susan’s greatest joy was found in her boys and her grandchildren. Her poor health kept her from being the kind of Grandmother she hoped (her greatest sorrow), but she constantly and lavishly smothered her grandchildren with love, and surprises in her bag every visit. Even though she gave good gifts to all, Susan was most generous in her role as a complete mother, dedicating herself to Sam and Joey. She taught her children by example to be all the things she was.
A graveside memorial service was held on July 21, 2023.
Steven and I are deeply saddened to learn of Susan’s passing. We just want to extend our heartfelt condolences to the Spafford family during this difficult time. We will miss not seeing Susan, David, and Joseph walking up to the pool for their daily swim. Susan was a lovely woman and great neighbor.
Susan, I will miss seeing you doing your aqua aerobics in the pool. I will miss your voice and laughter and all the compliments you gave to anyone who approached you. I will miss the bright, colorful beach bag you always carried to the pool with you. I would see it perched on a pool table from afar and it signaled your lovely presence. You were always so wonderful and kind with everyone and I will miss your spirit here. May you rest in peace. I send my deepest condolences to the Spafford family.
Well, I was so sad to see that Susan has passed. She was 4 years older than me and as a little girl I pretty much idolized her! She was so pretty and fun and could dance! When I got older I was so impressed when she decided to serve a mission and I was happy to follow her footsteps and serve as well. I'm sure she is so happy to be with her parents and loved ones once again.
