Ester Sue Steck Abraham

July 3, 1943 –Oct. 23, 2011

Ester Sue Steck Abraham died Oct. 23, 2011. She is now in a state of happiness where she is no longer suffering from her trials and the illness that has slowly taken her from her friends and family.Sue was born in Powell on July 3, 1943, to Bud and Bernice Steck. She had a brother Don and a sister Nora Lee waiting for her. The family lived in Powell until “Daddy” was called to serve his country in World War II, at which time Bernice and the three children moved to Garland to be close to her grandparents, Gammy and Gumpy Steck. When Bud returned from his tour of duty in the Seabees, they built a home in Ralston where she lived until she graduated from Powell High School in May of 1961.Life was good growing up. Sue loved exploring and doing things with her brother and sister. Living in the country was good for such adventures. Summers were spent going fishing and camping in Yellowstone and the Tetons with her family. When she was in junior high, her parents purchased a cabin on Kootney Lake in Canada. She loved to swim and staying right by the lake was just the ticket for lots of fun. She made many friends during the summers she spent there.Sue was very vivacious and fun loving. As a child she took piano lessons but would rather have been outside doing other things. No matter where she was or who she was with, there was always adventure. One could always count on having a good time with her.She met and fell in love with John M. Abraham and they were married on June 23, 1961, in the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City. Sue and John settled down on their little farm in Byron where they started their own dairy farm. This required lots of hard work and determination from the both of them and together they made it work.John and Sue were the parents to 10 children, and lots of “adopted” friends frequented their home on a regular basis. She was “Mom” to them all. Sue loved to cook and it was nothing for her to cook for a crowd often. Her homemade bread was the best. Her children didn’t know what store bought bread even tasted like and she always shared a loaf with others.She also loved to sew and two years ago for Christmas, she spent hours making each of her grandchildren a rag quilt out of all the flannel she had used and saved from making pajamas for them over the years. Her home was a haven to many who called her “friend.” Sue loved being a wife, mother and grandmother. Her family was her life.She studied homeopathy for years and helped her children and grandchildren with their illnesses. Even though she knew this subject well, she never stopped wanting to learn more and trying to do what she thought would help her family.The family eventually moved to their present home on Whistle Creek where John got into the chicken business. After his passing, Sue did her very best to keep it going for him. It became too difficult for her to keep up so she sold everything and started taking care of herself. She was not a quitter and it was hard for her to give it up.She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had many callings over the years where she served well. Her last calling was the Achievement Day leader for a group of young girls. She loved these girls and being with them and teaching them a variety of things. Because of her illness, she had to give up this calling, which saddened her greatly. She was continually taking meals into those who were struggling in any way and she was there when anyone needed her for anything. She was an amazing person.Sue is survived by her 10 children: Craig (Kim) of Gillette, Curtis (Jen) of Byron, Jill (Bret) Baine of Ketchikan, Alaska, Brook (Holly) of Minn., Trent (Kolete) of Green River, Miria (Chris) Good of Powell, Tiffany (Gary) Phister of Powell, Amber (Ryan) Messick of Atlanta, Melissa (Mike)Sigurdson of Billings, Kara (Tommy) Jones of Ketchikan and 50 grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother Don (Judy) Steck of Melbourne, Australia, and sister Nora Lee (Ralph) Onstine, of McCammon, Idaho, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, John, two grandchildren, Taylor and Lawrence, her parents Bud and Bernice Steck and Fluff, her faithful pet and companion for many years.Our beloved Sue, Mom, Sister, Grandma, Aunt and friend, you are gone from us now but you will always be in our hearts. The example you have set of your testimony, and your strength and courage through the years has been a lesson none of us will ever forget. We love you more.Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, at 10 a.m. at the Byron LDS Church. Viewing/visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church. Burial will be in the Byron Cemetery. Haskell Funeral Home in Lovell is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.haskellfuneralhome.com.