Sue Hey
April 28, 1932 – November 30, 2023
Fiercely independent, stubborn, somewhat curmudgeonly, beloved. Sue grew up in Los Angeles and Santa Paula, California, and graduated from Stanford University. Refusing to be a debutante, she traveled to many parts of the world—sometimes by freighter—and had many lifelong friends in Sonoita and around the world.
She loved the pies from the Rock Springs Cafe and told stories about stopping there as a youngster when her family would drive the dirt road from the Phoenix area to Flagstaff, averaging five flat tires along the way. She also loved old westerns, Chuck Norris, Judge Judy, dark chocolate, and dulce de leche ice cream.
She moved to Scottsdale in the 1970s and built her beloved house in Sonoita in 1980, where she loved riding her horse, Bonnie. She also had many dalmatians and cats over the years.
Sue worked as a travel agent in Palm Springs in the 1960s and as a bookkeeper for many places, including Rawhide, the Steak Out, and Empire Homes. For several years, she was active with the Fair and Rodeo Association and the Sonoita-Elgin Volunteer Fire Dept.
For the last couple of years, she lived in an assisted living complex near her niece in California, where she passed away quietly in her sleep.