Shauna Michelle Sutton Swenson passed away peacefully on March 27, 2025, in Meridian, Idaho, after a courageous battle with ovarian cancer. Though her fight was long, her spirit remained bright filled with kindness, humor, and an endless love for her family.
Shauna was born on September 4, 1974, in Springfield, Massachusetts, to David Owen Sutton and Barbara Elizabeth Emerson Sutton. She grew up in Wilbraham and Longmeadow Massachusetts, alongside her beloved brothers and graduated from Minnechaug Regional High School in 1992. She went on to study English at Brigham Young University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in 1998. She had a passion for storytelling—writing for her high school news team, The Smoke Signal , and after college, covering hard-hitting topics like a five-day potato harvest for Teton Valley News. Her love of language extended beyond writing—everyone who spent time with her ended up with better grammar, whether they wanted to or not.
In 1995, while living in the same apartment complex, Shauna met Jeff Swenson. Their mutual friends left for the summer, but Shauna and Jeff stayed behind, spending nearly every day together for six months. On Halloween, Jeff had an epiphany—Shauna was the one. Three days later, he proposed, and by December 28th, they were married. Nine days after that, they were on a plane to South Korea to teach English, launching a lifetime of adventure together.
Shauna embraced life in every way. She loved traditions—sending out the best Christmas letters, and always being the first to celebrate a birthday. She loved football—even crying briefly when the Patriots won the AFC Championship in 2018. She had a sharp wit and a love for humor, claiming to be pretty funny but admitting Jeff might have her beat. She loved music—especially ’80s alternative and, to Jeff’s eternal chagrin, a little country music too. She could spell anything and had an uncanny ability to remember names, birthdays, and the intricate web of family connections at every gathering. Shauna adored life’s little joys: the color hot pink, cranberry ginger ale, the smell of fresh-cut grass, and stargazer lilies.
Her greatest joy, though, was her family. Shauna was endlessly proud of her children, Kyler, Rudie, and Tyler, always cheering them on in school, sports, and life. She adored the way Jeff took care of her, from grand gestures to the small, thoughtful surprises—like a perfectly curated cheese plate just because. She loved going on adventures with her family and filling their lives with happy memories. She made everyone around her feel loved, valued, and seen.
Shauna is survived by her loving husband, Jeffrey R. Swenson; her father, David Owen Sutton; brothers, Kevin David and Michael Emerson; her children, Kyler James, Rudie Pearl, and Tyler David; her grandmother, Mary Emerson. She was preceded in death by her brother, Timm Richard, and mother, Barbara Sutton.
A celebration of Shauna’s life will be held at Bowman Funeral Home, 10254 W Carlton Bay Drive, Garden City, Idaho on Friday, April 4, 2025 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in Shauna’s memory to the Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance, supporting the cause she so deeply cared about. Donations can be made in her honor at https://tribute.ocrahope.org/shaunamichelleswenson
While we grieve Shauna’s passing, we also celebrate the life she lived—a life full of love, humor, adventure, and the kind of warmth that made everyone feel special. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.