Jan. 18, 1935 - Apr. 16, 2018
Date of Service: Apr. 21, 2018
Suzanne Louise Dittmore Willich Smith, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, returned to her loving Heavenly Father on Monday, April 16, 2018, in American Fork, Utah, at the age of 83. She spent her final months at Bel Aire Senior Living. She had been cared for by her daughter, Kathy Mitchell, until she needed more advanced care for her failing health.
Suzanne was born January 18, 1935, to Marlin Lewis Dittmore and Barbara Wallace in Tacoma Park, Maryland. Suzanne was the second of seven children. She graduated from Leonia High School, in New Jersey. Her parents were both of Mormon pioneer descent who relocated to the East to make a living.
Suzanne returned to her roots to attend Brigham Young University. She married her high school sweetheart Theodore Willich II. This marriage was blessed with six children; five girls and a boy. Their marriage ended in divorce. Suzanne returned to BYU as a single mother of six children ages two through ten. She earned her degree in Elementary Education and Library Science. She began teaching in Orem, Utah. After six years as a single parent she met J. Dale Smith and fell in love. She packed up her children and moved to Burley, Idaho
On may 26, 1972, Suzanne married Dale Smith, her eternal partner. This marriage was sealed in the Provo, Utah Temple. Together, Suzanne and Dale had a family of 13 children; 11 girls and two boys. Suzanne and Dale were pioneers in a combined family. Suzanne dedicated her time to teaching first grade for over 30 years at Southwest Elementary School. She worked in many organizations within the church until her health would not allow it. She will always be remembered as a loving, creative teacher. She now has sixty-eight grandchildren and ninety-eight great-grandchildren, with several more soon to be born.
Suzanne is survived by her six siblings; her children, Daleen (Kirk) Pugmire, Gaylun (Karen) Smith, Joni (Vaughn) Bailey, Toni Bingham, Kathy (Reese) Mitchell, Tami Smith, Cheryl (Logan) Berg, Arleen Vaughn, Christine (Kevin) Heiner, Ione (Larry) Ward, and Ted Willich; her first husband, Ted Willich; and her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her two daughters, Sylvia Ahlberg, and Yvonne Baker; two sons-in-law, Charlie Pribble, and Bruce Bingham; and three grandsons, Triston and Trenton Ward, and Matthew Smith.
The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 21, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Burley 3rd & 7th Ward Chapel, located at 2200 Oakley Ave., in Burley. Burial will be held later that day at 3 p.m. at the Valley Vu Cemetery in Malta.
Friends may call from 6 until 8 p.m. Friday, April 20, at Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley and from 10 until 10:45 a.m. Saturday preceding the funeral service at the church.
In support of Suzanne’s passion for education, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Perpetual Education Fund or any other educational fund of choice.
