Susan L. Richey

Susan Louise Simonds Richey passed away May 15, 2025 with her husband and daughters by her side.  She was born in New Jersey on October 27, 1945 and raised in Texas.  Soon after earning her nursing degree, she met Gary Dale Richey and quickly knew she had met her best friend and life partner. They were married in 1970 and moved to Utah from 1973-2008, where they raised 2 daughters: Jennifer Richey Freeman and Sarah Richey Bell.

Susan’s nursing career was varied, from a bedside nurse at a prominent cancer hospital, to an office OB/Gyn nurse, to a hospital cardiac care unit. After the birth of their second child, she left her nursing career behind to be a full-time mother and wife.

Along with her family, she became an avid outdoor enthusiast, focusing on alpine and Nordic skiing plus snowshoeing in the winter, and camping, hiking, sailing, and fishing in the summer.  She was always enthusiastic about travel and was often the inspiration for their myriad international trips: all 7 continents and multiple bareboat sailing charters, mostly in the Caribbean.

Susan’s lifelong spiritual beliefs deepened with an extended time in Bible Study Fellowship and she was a leader there for a number of years. She was very active with Cottonwood Presbyterian Church, serving multiple terms as deacon, elder, and Sunday School teacher.  Her deep belief in God led to another practical career for her – hospital chaplain and, for 15 years, a hospice Chaplain.  She found this a very profound experience.

With her and Dale’s retirement, their love of Colorado in general and Steamboat Springs in particular culminated in moving there full time for the last 16 years.  The outdoors continued their allure on a daily basis, enhanced by 12 years touring the west in a travel trailer.

Her outdoor life was supplemented with reading (at one time being in 3 book clubs simultaneously) and volunteer activities ranging from the Strings Music Guild, Yampa Valley Medical Center Hospital Ethics Committee, and the Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition.  She remained very active until a Traumatic Brain Injury irreversibly changed her life in October, 2022.

She is survived by her husband Dale, daughters Jen Freeman (Drew), Sarah Richey Bell (Dave), grandsons Jacob, Nathan, Charlie, Henry as well as siblings Stewart Simonds, Nancy Linenschmidt, Anne Lowe, Louise Brummett.  A celebration of her life will be held this summer at a date to be determined.

She will be remembered for her total devotion to her family, her belief in God, her service to others, and her dedication to helping those who are struggling.  Dale shall particularly remember her for her steadfast love, strong sense of adventure, her ability to make friends, and her unceasing compassion.