Mourning the Passing of Friends: Forthcoming Funeral Service

"What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. 

All that we love deeply becomes a part of us.”

~ Helen Keller

Susana K Johnson (Auelua)

Susana K Johnson (Auelua), age 58, passed away peacefully at home on May 12, 2023, after battling lung cancer over the past year. She will be remembered as a wonderful wife, a cherished mother, a loving nana, a dear sister, a favored aunty, and a treasured friend to many.

Susana was born January 11, 1965 in Faga’alu, American Samoa to parents Agamanu Karauna Auelua and Uatoto Te’o Auelua. She was the sixth of nine siblings, six brothers and two sisters. She lived with her family in the village of Pava’ia’i for the first fourteen years of her life. During her childhood, she actively participated in youth church activities and enjoyed singing alto in the choir. While on the island, she spent time with family, tended to chores, and helped take care of her little brothers. She attended Leone High School for one semester before moving to California with her mom and brother when she was 16 years old.

 

She became a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a teenager. At 21 years old, Susana decided to serve an 18-month mission and was called to serve in Minnesota. After she returned home from missionary service, she connected with Joel Johnson, who previously served as a missionary in her family’s branch. After a few dates Susana discovered that she loved this quirky, handsome blonde guy. They dated for 9 months before getting engaged in September 1988. They were sealed in the Oakland California Temple on December 17, 1988.

 

Susana and Joel lived in Utah while Joel attended university. Susana attended Salt Lake Community College for some time but chose to work full-time to support her husband through school. In 1990, they decided to start their family and had their first-born son, Keller. Joel’s first job moved the little Johnson family to Connecticut where Susana gave birth to her second child, Lynicia, in 1992. After a short time living on the east coast, Joel’s job moved the family of four to Colorado where their third child, Dailyn, was eventually born in 1996. Susana and Joel settled in Longmont, Colorado for over 26 years. 

 

Susana was first, and foremost, a mother and a wonderful homemaker. She did everything to teach and nurture her children during their growing years. She ensured the home was clean and organized. She prioritized cooking a homemade meal and having the family eat together at the dinner table every night. She made countless school lunches and volunteered at school events when possible. She cheered on her kids in sports as they participated in soccer, hockey, basketball, football, volleyball, tennis, swim, and track. She also made sure her kids attended music lessons, youth church activities, and other social events. 

 

Susana was determined to capture memories and took many pictures and videos of her growing family. She had family portraits taken often. She enjoyed crafting and spent her free-time scrapbooking. Susana and her husband created many beautiful hand-made albums dedicated to family trips and life events. She and her husband loved traveling and invested in making memories through many family trips. Susana was known to many as the “favorite aunty” and she prioritized being present in many family events such as weddings, funerals, graduations, baby blessings, and other celebrations. She may have been considered a “shop-aholic”, but that is because she was a generous gift-giver to her friends, children, nieces, nephews, and, most importantly, her grandchildren. In the past few years, Susana became a pickleballer and enjoyed playing regularly with friends and family. She was a social butterfly and her bubbly personality drew people to her. She was a beautiful light to all who crossed her path.

 

Susana lived a life of service. She was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints throughout her adult life. She served in many callings for the Relief Society, Primary, and Young Women’s programs. She often volunteered her time to visit and uplift women in her church congregation. Her husband served as a bishop and she fulfilled her duties to support him and the congregation with grace and strength. Susana loved feeding the missionaries (especially the Polynesian missionaries). In her empty-nester years, she housed the missionaries and made sure that they were taken care of. Susana devoted much of her time to serving in the Fort Collins and Payson temples. Susana was a faithful covenant-keeper and a strong disciple of Christ.

 

Susana found the most joy in being a grandmother. She loved her grandsons, Greyson and Kingston, and was excited to have more. She made it a point to be involved in their lives as much as possible and, as a result, was greatly loved by them. Her grandsons affectionately called her "Nana". She loved taking them on walks, playing at the park, and buying them fresh donuts in the morning when she visited. She was always looking for an opportunity to spoil them with new clothes, shoes, and toys. She made many memories with her grandkids, traveling with them to places like Disney World, Oceanside, and Bear Lake. 

 

Susana faced the most difficult trial last year when her husband unexpectedly passed away. A few months later, she discovered she had stage 4 lung cancer. She fought valiantly to stay here on this earth to spend as much time as she could with her beloved family. She was deeply loved by her family, friends, and neighbors. They are comforted in knowing that she is reunited with her husband on the other side of the veil.

 

Susana is survived by her children, Keller (Amberlee), Lynicia, and Dailyn (Storm); grandsons, Greyson and Kingston; brothers, Isaia, Mataese, Karauna, and Peaua; sister, Galovave; and many aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joel; father and mother, Karauna and Uatoto; and brothers, Misimoa and Laisene.

 

A family service will be held on Friday evening, May 19, 2023 at 6:00 PM. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse, 711 South 600 East, Payson, Utah. Family members and closer friends are invited to attend the family service. A viewing will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2023, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. located at the same church building. The viewing will be followed by a funeral service at 12:00 p.m. A graveside service will be held at the Payson City Cemetery directly after the funeral service. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.walkermemorials.com.