Susan Irene Callister Edwards

Susan Irene Callister Edwards, 1943-2023. Surrounded by her loving family, Susie returned to her heavenly home on Wednesday, 15 February 2023, in Hyde Park, Utah, a week after celebrating her eightieth birthday. She was born in Tooele, Utah on 7 February 1943 to Lillian Irene Quinn Callister and Robert Elwin Callister. When she was an infant her father was drafted into the U.S. Army Air Corps, serving in India during WW II. During this time, Susie and her mother lived with her Quinn grandparents in Stockton, Utah. Tragically, Susie’s mother was killed in a car accident during this time. Upon her father’s return from war, they lived with her beloved Grandma Annie Callister who was one of Susie’s life angels. When she was four years old, her father married Alice “Alie” Blanche Ericson, who became Susie’s mom. Their family was joined by four siblings: John, Terry, Robbie, and Cami, who were Susie’s life-long best friends.

The Callister family lived in Tooele, where Susie attended school. When she was 16 the family moved to Springville, Utah, where she graduated from high school. Susie was a hard-working youth; like her father, she was a bonafide neatnik, making every space cleaner and more welcoming. In her teen years, she participated in synchronized swimming. Suzi loved fashion and beauty and after high school she graduated from the Mary Kawakami College of Beauty. She worked as a stylist, then called a beautician—she called it a “twig twister,”—for over forty years, including at the prestigious House of Sherman in Salt Lake City and at her own salon Shear Perfection. Everyone loved to get their hair cut and styled by Susie: she was part beauty magic-maker and part therapist. Often a parent would call Susie for an appointment for a child, asking that she “please talk to them.” And, she would do her “Susie magic,” making them look good and feel better. Susie loved people and they loved her.

Susie married the love of her life, fellow Tooele High classmate, Terry Edwards, on 23 October 1969, shortly after his return from the Vietnam War. Upon her marriage she became step-mother to Terry’s two daughters: Randy Lynn and Tracey Maurine. Terry and Susie lived in Salt Lake City for several years before moving to Springville while Terry built their dream home in Midway, Utah. Susie and Terry lived in Midway for nearly forty years, making life-long friendships in their ward, neighborhood, and community. Terry and Susie’s home was the place to be on the Fourth of July where they hosted family and friends with delicious food (including Susie’s famous gooey caramel popcorn), water games, and fireworks. Susie and Terry helped with Midway’s Swiss Days and taught the 17-year-old Sunday School class for nearly twenty years. Susie was the best gift giver. She loved showering her family with carefully selected gifts, tailored to their personality. In fact, when her grandchildren came along, Grandma Susie’s gifts were a highlight of any holiday.

Susie and Terry spent two years on Oahu for Terry’s job. They loved the island life and made life-long friends. During their stay in Hawaii their marriage was solemnized in the Laie Hawaii Temple. To the end of her life, Susie fondly remembered her time in Hau’ula 3rd Ward as some of the best of her life. She brought home some island magic to add to what she called her “gypsy spirit.’’

Always upbeat, Susie suffered from atypical trigeminal neuralgia, which caused her constant pain and in the mid-90s she underwent surgery to separate the nerves at the base of her brain to give her relief. Sadly, the surgery did not work and her pain increased. At this time she was prescribed Oxycodone, which was common then; a highly addictive and treacherous drug that caused much more physical complications than any benefits received. After years of this treatment, Susie went off this medication on her own. The effects of this drug, however, coupled with other medications, brought on years of limited physical abilities. But, through this, including a diagnosis of dementia, Susie kept her loving, sweet, and hospitable personality. She relished visits from her family and friends; and appreciated the love she received. Thanks to all who “showed up” for Susie!

In 2018, due to Susie’s greater needs, she and Terry moved to Cache Valley Utah to be closer to their daughter Randy and son-in-law Terry Williams and their family to get more care. They settled in Hyde Park, Utah, where they made friends and enjoyed being close to grandchildren and great grands. Susie had an especially close bond with her great-granddaughters Emma Kate Page, Eliza Jane Heal, and Summer Julia Williams who always told Grandma to “be gorgeous,” which would bring a big smile to Susie’s face.

Susie is survived by her beloved husband of 52 years Terry Thomas Edwards, her cherished siblings John (Katie) Callister (Salem, Utah), Terry Miner (Mike) Martinez (Grantsville, Utah), Robert (Mary) Callister (Tooele, Utah), and Camille Callister (Springville, Utah); sisters-in-love Betty Shosted (Tooele, Utah) and Janet Cook (Grantsville, Utah). She is also survived by her step-daughters Randy (Terry) Williams (North Logan, Utah) and Tracey Gibson (Stansbury Park, Utah); grandchildren Kristin Heal, Kaitie (Joe) Page, Thomas (Lauren) Williams, Mallory Gibson, Madison (Zach) Lugris, and Mitchell Gibson, and 12 beloved great grandchildren. She is also survived by 17 nieces and nephews, who were like her children—all of whom she cherished dearly—and many great-nieces and nephews, as well as her beloved yorkie, Pebbles.

Susie is joyfully reunited with her parents, mother and father-in-law Maurine and John Henry (Maj) Edwards; sister-in-law Connie Wright, brothers-in-law Jeff Miner, Dick Shosted, Morley Cook, and Harvey Wright; and her great-granddaughter Maggie Mae Page.

Special thanks to Dr. Michael Frances, Dr. Samuel Weber, Dr. Jeremiah West, Autumn Care Assisted Living Center (especially her dear friend Krystal Cazier), Enhabit Home and Hospice, Hyde Park 7th Ward, and the Midway Fox Den Ward.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, 24 February 2023 at noon at the Fox Den Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 250 East 200 South, Midway, Utah, under the direction of Bishop Jason Price (a former Sunday School student of Susie’s). A viewing will be held at the Church that morning from 10:30-11:30am. Interment will follow at the Midway Cemetery. Funeral arrangements by Probst Family Funeral Home. To stream the services, please visit: https://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/84963/hash:0DE194ACAF5FAE19