Mildred (Sue) B. Stiff, 99, of Baker City, died May 22, 2009, at the St. Elizabeth Health Care Center after a brave fight against cancer.
Her memorial and celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. June 22 at the Church of the Nazarene, 1250 Hughes Lane. Pastor Lennie Spooner will officiate.
Sue was born the third of 10 children in Ariel, Wash., to Andrew J. and Bessie M. Wheatley Kramer.
She was raised in the Ariel area, attended school there, and spent most of her time helping her mother with the brothers and sisters.
During her marriage to Edwin K. Hackett, they adopted their son, Edwin K. Hackett Jr.
That marriage ended in divorce in 1947. She then moved to Vancouver, Wash., and she and Eddy lived with two of her sisters until she accepted a job in November 1951 as nanny for Robert Earl Stiff and his two small sons in Baker.
Earl and Sue were married Aug. 9, 1952, at Trees of Mystery, Calif. She then became “Mom” to Jim and Greg, along with Eddie, and also the “Other Mom” to Earl’s other five grown children.
She loved having a large family to call her own and immediately became a babysitting grandmother, along with caring for the children of other friends and relatives.
Sue was a wonderful homemaker and cook. She even cooked a meal/day for the Densleys’ crew during lambing season for a number of years, using her large laundry room for their dining room. After her sons were grown, she started making baby bibs and quilts for all the grandchildren, along with acquiring a few housekeeping jobs, still working for one until she was 96.
Soon after her marriage to Earl, Sue became a Christian and an active member of The Church of the Nazarene. While the boys were small, she taught a Sunday School class, along with participating in other church activities. Sue was also a longtime member of the V.F.W. Auxiliary.
After Earl’s death in 1985, Sue was able to pursue her love of travel. Her travels included trips with her sister Marge, and brother Elmer (Ginger) to New Zealand/ Australia, Branson, Mo., and she also drove her close friend, Ethel Reed, to Canada. It was disappointing when she decided she was not in good enough health to travel again.
Survivors include her sons, Ed Hackett and his wife, Anna, Jim Stiff and his wife, Lisa, Greg Stiff and his wife, Kay; step-daughters, LaVaughn Gould, Drucilla Carpenter and her husband, Wayne, JoAnne Hardy and husband, George; step-sons, Duane Stiff and his wife, Carol, and Carl Stiff and his wife, Barbara; sister Marjorie Bryant of Vancouver, Wash.; 21 grandchildren; 58 great-grandchildren; 35 great-great-grandchildren; 1 great-great-great-grandchild; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Stiff; grandson, Randall Carpenter; great-great-grandson, Owen Birchard; son-in-law Bob Gould; brothers, Lawrence, Elmer, John and Donald; sisters, Mary, Florence, Virginia and Laura; and nephew, David Bryant.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Church of the Nazarene Missions in care of Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, June 19, 2009
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor