1 May 1947 – 27 Apr 2025
Wife of Ray Fred Blake Jr.
Susan Kay Kocherhans Blake, our cherished mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully in Bountiful, Utah on Sunday, April 27th, 2025, at the age of 77. She was lovingly surrounded by her children and grandchildren who adored her.
Susan was born with a sparkle in her eye on a bright sunny day on May 1st, 1947, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Ivan (Ike) Croft Kocherhans & Lorraine Richardson. She was the oldest of 6 children and loved each of her siblings dearly. The Kocherhans family lived in Provo, Utah where Ike worked as a pharmacist at the Provo City Drug. One day, a traveling salesman came by selling polio insurance and Ike felt impressed that he should purchase it. Just a few weeks later, Susan, who was almost 3 years old, contracted Polio. Susan was quarantined for 2 weeks at the old St. Mark’s Hospital in SLC. She vaguely remembers looking out at all the cars below the balcony and wondering which one was her mom’s. She missed her mom terribly and would cry for her. The polio affected Susan’s leg, and she had to have part of her calf muscle removed. Growing up, Susan had many operations on her legs. Eventually, the growth was stunted in her good leg so as not to have her little leg be too much shorter than the other. Susan always walked with a limp, but she never let that get in the way with making as many friends as she could and doing all of the things they did.
The family moved from Provo, Utah to San Bernardino, California and then to Redlands, California, where she rode horses through the avocado and orange orchards. At the end of 6th grade, Susan was in a leg cast all Summer. Her family moved back to Phoenix for the beginning of her 7th grade year and her cast came off, but she was bullied and teased by the kids for her skinny little leg. She eventually won all of those kids over with her amiable disposition and animated personality. Her 7th grade teacher even told Susan’s mom that he admired her for the way she handled her struggles and that she was an inspiration to him.
Throughout Jr. High and High School, Susan had to compensate for her disability and became a social butterfly, flirting with all of the boys. She even learned all about cars so that she could impress the guys. She remembers this one boy, who was pretty cute and had the reputation of never having been dumped by a girl, so Susan made it her goal to be the first one to date him and dump him. Ray always teased her that if a tree puckered up, she would kiss it! Susan had a whimsical style about her and she made up all sorts of words to describe things. Her family called them, “Susanisms”.
It’s only fitting that Susan graduated from “Sunnyslope” High! The Summer after graduation, she attended a YSA activity where she caught the eye of Ray Blake, the cute, returned missionary that worked at the shirt store where she bought her high school boyfriend’s shirts. He asked her to the dance that night and all the girls said she was the luckiest because Ray Blake had asked her out. They dated off and on for 2 years and she always insisted on the story that Ray would “drop her” and she wouldn’t hear from him for months and then, out of the blue, he would just call her to go out. One time, she vowed she would never go out with him again, however, he won her heart over and on August 23rd, 1967, they were married in the Mesa, Arizona Temple for time and for all eternity. Susan attended a local community college and worked as a dental hygienist in Phoenix, Arizona for a couple of years right after getting married.
In 1970, Their oldest daughter, Stephanie Rae, was born in Phoenix, Arizona and just 2 ½ years later, they welcomed a son, Justin Scott. Shortly thereafter, they moved to Fullerton, California and then to Coronado, California. Wonderful, sunny days were spent at the beach, cruising around southern California listening to Barry Manilow, Neil Diamond, Barbara Streisand, and of course, “The Beach Boys”. Susan loved to read to her children favorite storybooks like, “Are You My Mother?” & “Mr. Brown Can Moo”. They lived just 15 min. from Disneyland and Susan said she could hear the fireworks going off every night as she was having her bath. She loved to take anyone, visiting their home, to Knott’s Berry Farm and have Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner. Disneyland became the gathering place, where year after year, Ray and Susan loved taking the kids and grandkids to, “The Happiest Place on Earth”.
In 1981, Jennifer Noelle was born. She was adored by her parents and siblings and completed the Blake family. Ray and Susan welcomed anyone and everyone into their home and always had people living with them. From nephews and nieces, to family friends, they all thought of her as their second mom.
Susan was a devoted mother and dear friend to many! She had a simple childlike faith in her Heavenly Father and Savior, never wavering in her testimony and she shared it with anyone who would listen. Susan served as stake Primary President, PTA President, sang in the South Davis Community Choir and served as a docent at the Church History Museum! For a short time, she worked for Olin Mills, where she was always the top salesperson.
Susan could strike up a conversation with anyone; the grocery boy, the ticket agent, the old man in the elevator, and everyone loved her. In her later years, people described her as “the friendly blonde lady on a scooter”. Ray affectionately called his sweetheart, “The Boss” saying he made all of the big decisions like; going to the moon, going to war and she made all of the smaller decisions like what car to buy, where to go on vacation, what house to purchase and where to eat out.
Susan adored her 11 grandkids, and they loved to come over to play games with her, watch a movie or have a tea party together. Susan loved to watch scary movies with her grandson Dallon, and many times Ray would come home and find the door bolted up with a chair because she had scared herself, half to death, watching something terrifying.
Susan’s gift to connect with people made others feel they were loved and special, not only in her eyes, but in the eyes of their Heavenly Father! Recently, after recovering from a broken foot in a rehab facility, she became sad when she realized she would have to leave all of her nurse friends and the aides who took care of her for 6 weeks. When she moved into Creekside Senior Living, in December of 2024, she made friends instantly, especially with those who took care of her. We are so grateful to all of the amazing staff, who treated her with love and kindness. What a blessing they were to us!
Susan’s greatest desire was to have all of her children and grandchildren love the Savior and serve Him. She loved her sweetheart with all of her heart and awaited the day when they would be reunited. One of Susan’s nurses helped her write a special note to him.
It reads:
Dear Ray, I would like to tell you I am sad that you left me. You tell me, “Life is good” You tell me, you’re craving Mexican food. You tell me, “Babe, I love you” I would like to tell you that I miss you So during our next encounter, We will be together and we will hug And we will say we missed each other And we will be happy Together for eternity.
Susan is survived by her siblings; Steven Kocherhans, Larry (Carolyn) Kocherhans, David (Liz) Kocherhans, Pam (Ken) Carey, Tricia Rivers. Children; Stephanie (Bruce) Getter, Scott (Robyn) Blake, Jennifer (Brent) Carroll, 11 grandchildren & 1 great grandson. Susan is preceded in death by her beloved eternal companion, Ray as well as her dear parents.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at 11:00 am in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints North Canyon 4th ward building, 965 East Oakwood Drive, Bountiful, Utah where family and friends may attend a viewing from 9:30 -10:45 am prior to the service. Interment will follow in the Bountiful City Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.olpinmortuary.com.
Live Stream of the funeral will be provided by the mortuary at: Susan Blake Obituary (1947 – 2025)
-Published online May 8, 2025, at https://www.olpinmortuary.com/obituaries/susan-blake-2025
Bountiful City Cemetry, Bountiful, Davis County, Utah
