Susan Waring Hooley

Susan Waring Hooley (née Carter) passed away on September 16, 2026, in Boise, Idaho, at the age of 90.

Susan was born in San Francisco, California, in 1936, to Charles Paxton Carter and Olive Kathryn Carter. She grew up in San Francisco with her brothers, Charles and Andrew, alongside one of the world's most famous landmarks — just a year old when the Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937, she and her family walked across it often in those early days, before cars were allowed. As a girl, she lived through San Francisco's wartime years, including the blackouts and air-raid preparations that followed Pearl Harbor, and was there when the city hosted the historic 1945 conference that led to the founding of the United Nations. Hers was a childhood built around family gathered by the radio, in a city still finding its way into the modern age.

After high school, Susan attended the University of California, Davis, where she studied English and literature and competed on the rifle team.

In 1961, Susan moved to Phoenix, Arizona, with her mother to be closer to her brother, Charlie. She worked as a legal secretary and, in 1963, married the love of her life, David Hooley, becoming a stepmother to his three sons. Dave and Susan bought their first home together in central Phoenix, and in 1966 welcomed their daughter, Elizabeth.

In 1977, Dave, Susan, and Elizabeth left Phoenix for a quieter life in Meridian, Idaho. The 1980s and 1990s brought the joy of watching her family grow and putting down deep roots in the Treasure Valley. Susan and Dave later moved to Eagle where they built amazing friendships that would last the rest of their lives.

Susan was a woman of vibrant creative spirit and endless curiosity. An avid quilter, she poured her care and skill into every stitch as a longtime member of the Boise Peace Quilt Project. When her hands weren't busy at the sewing machine, she could almost always be found lost in the pages of a good book, reading voraciously across every genre. In true testament to her playful heart, Susan also spent years delighting others as "SusyBelle" the clown—a playful nod to her own childhood nickname that reflected her lifelong love for bringing joy and laughter to those around her.

Susan was preceded in death by her beloved husband, David, in 2021, as well as her son Larry and her grandson Josh.

She is survived by her daughter, Elizabeth (Tracy); her sons Michael (Sue) and Kenneth; her grandchildren Courtney (Aaron), Christopher (Emmy), Taylor, Ty (Kara), Elizabeth, Jessica, and David; and her great-grandchildren Addison, Leah, Maggie, and Jonathan; and sisters in law Nadia Carter and Virginia Fuller.

Susan lived a long, full life that spanned nearly a century of change — from radio to smartphones, from the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge to grandchildren of her own. She will be deeply missed by all who loved her.

A celebration of life will be held on October 18, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Proletariat Wine Company, 106 E. 36th Street, Garden City, ID 83714.

Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.