Dec. 27, 1941 - Jun. 4, 2025
Date of Service: Jun. 28, 2025
OAKLEY – Sue Ann “Yaya” Port, an 84-year-old resident of Burley, passed away Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at Park View Rehabilitation and Care Center in Burley.
Sue Ann was born on December 27, 1941, in Oakley, Idaho, to Elden “Bill” Fairchild and Delta Rose Nelson. Sue Ann grew up in the Basin and had a choice childhood. She had often mentioned her love of living in the country. “My Dad was a rancher so we had land. We had to go across the field to do the chores and to get there I’d just jump on a horse and ride over and milk the cows and either run back or ride the horse back. (She was usually always barefoot). It was just so open, I could go to my girlfriend’s that lived probably a mile away and we would just hang out and look at the sky and it was just so peaceful. We had no worries and now there are too many worries. I wish that my kids and grandkids had that opportunity….The freedom and the closeness to God, cause you really do get close to God when you lay down and look up at the sky.”
Sue Ann attended grade school and high school in Oakley. She was always quick to mention that she loved playing in the marching band in high school. She set such a good example by going back to school later in her life and working hard to get her GED.
On March 28, 1959, she married Jerry Port in Oakley, Idaho. Jerry did not say much but when he did, you should probably listen. What he said was usually something you could learn, or something side-splitting funny. He was a diesel mechanic, a welder, and he could fix anything. Apparently, Sue and Jerry were quite the pranksters. One time when they were kids, Sue Ann was driving Jerry’s pickup truck. Their friends were trying to play a prank on them. The friends “had a big flashlight with a red light on it and they were flashing the lights. Jerry said, ‘Just slam on the brakes!’ So, I slammed on the brakes and the 2 of them ran into the back of us. And he (Jerry) had a big trailer hitch type thing on the back of our pickup and it ran through the radiator of their car and they were stranded and we just left them there….that was mean in a way, but they deserved it.”
Sue Ann and Jerry had five children: Mitzi Lynn (Boyd) Wiggan, Larry Eugene (Bonnie) Port, Michael Elden (Vickie) Port, Koralee (Gary) Warner, LouCin (Kirk) Topham. Sue Ann and Jerry raised their children in Pocatello, Idaho.
Sue Ann always did the paperwork for Jerry’s business, Port’s Welding. She was very talented. She worked in a ceramic shop for a time and made some beautiful treasures from start to finish. She was good at crafts, painting, arrangements and always had an exceptionally well-decorated and clean home. She worked at a Greek bakery, where she coined the name “Yaya”, which will be her name to her children and grandchildren for the rest of time. She also worked at Idaho State University, first as a custodian and then worked her way up as a coordinator for the University Staff and the venues held on campus. One time she was coordinating a concert for a famous band coming to sing at the Mini Dome. The band only wanted green M&Ms, so Sue Ann had to sort many pounds of M&Ms to make sure they had only the green ones.
When the kids were all grown and out of the house, Sue and Jerry moved to Las Vegas where she was the office manager for a doctor for many years before they returned to Pocatello to retire.
One of the things Sue Ann loved to do for sport was bowling. She was on several bowling leagues with her children when they were young and she was quite good at it. She also enjoyed walking for exercise in the evenings. She was a fast walker and you would be hard pressed to keep up with her when she was headed around the block. In her later years, she found quite a fondness for books. It was difficult to keep her in enough books. She could read them faster than you could deliver them to her. It did not seem to matter what kind of books. Her favorite books were any books that she could get her hands on.
Sue Ann is survived by three daughters, Mitzi, Kori and LouCin; one son, Mike; a brother, Dallas (Julie) Fairchild; a sister, Delta Lou (Charlie) Skaggs; 17 grandchildren, Jason, Shantell, Kacy, Rachael, Shane, Talina, Analee, Taylor, Jeremy, Sonny, Waylon, Sage, Shantaé, Bo, Chéy, Ammon and Emma; 16 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry; son, Larry; granddaughter, Raquel LaRaé; her parents; her brothers, Alan (Billy Jo) Fairchild, and John Fairchild; and her sister, Loma (K) Anderson.
Sue Ann was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Family and friends will be received for a viewing from 10 a.m. until 12 Noon, Saturday, June 28, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints – Oakley 2nd Ward, located at 355 N Center St, Oakley, Idaho. Following the viewing there will be a graveside service at the Basin Cemetery. A family luncheon will be provided at the church after the services.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home of Burley.
