Our incredible mother, grandmother, wife, sister, aunt, and friend began her next great adventure on April 28, 2023. Born November 17, 1936 to Lemert and Bertha VanVoorhis, Sue attended Rowland Hall, Stewart School, East High School, and graduated from the University of Utah, where she proudly affiliated with Pi Beta Phi.
She married the love of her life, Tony Burdett, and they had two daughters, Susan and Kim. Sue was a member of Junior League, where she volunteered in many capacities, including juvenile court and Neighborhood House. She belonged to the Cottonwood Country Club and Town Club, where she held several offices on the Board of Governors, and spent many joyful afternoons playing bridge with her friends.
A life-long Utahn, Sue was proud of her pioneer heritage. She was a member of the Utah Tour Guide Association (UTGA) and worked as a tour guide for 35 years, where she shared her vast knowledge of Utah with visitors from all over the world. If she had a good group, they would be lucky enough to hear her great grandmother’s “petticoat” story.
Family was the most important thing to Sue, and she was a fabulous and loving mother and grandmother. The Burdett house always welcomed their children’s friends, who considered Sue a “bonus mom.”
A lover of all things travel-related, Sue was happiest when exploring the world with her family. She was equally at home in the mountains, the desert, and Laguna Beach. Together with Tony, she visited all 50 states and almost 50 countries. After Tony passed away, Sue continued her adventures, and her suitcase was always ready.
She will be missed dearly by her family and many friends, who will remember her witty sense of humor, excellent cooking, incredible musical talent, and amazing stories.
She is survived by daughters Susan and Kim, and the best granddaughter in the whole world, Hailey, as well as niece Marsha and her family, Lamar, and the Halbert cousins. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband Tony, her sister Claudia, and her son-in-law Ken.
Services will be held at St. James Episcopal Church (7486 Union Park Ave, Midvale) at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, followed by a gathering at the Cottonwood Club. Please wear bright colors or your favorite University of Utah attire, because Sue would appreciate one more party!
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made online to the Grand Teton National Park Foundation “In Memory of Susan Burdett” at https://www.gtnpf.org/donate; or to the Pi Beta Phi Foundation at https://give.pibetaphi.org/CSiDonate/Give.aspx.
We will miss you more than words can say, but until we meet again, our smaller and still mighty family will raise a glass in your honor on the Lido Deck.
