Suzette Stewart

Enumclaw resident Suzette Anna Stewart died in her home April 28, 2013, at the age of 50 following a seven-year battle with breast cancer.

She was born Aug. 10, 1962, in Everett, Wash., to Howard and Wilma Ploegsma. She grew up on Whidbey Island with her sister Caryl and brother Garry. She graduated from Marysville Pilchuck High School in 1980 and began a career as an x-ray service technician. She married Steve Stewart on Aug. 27, 1988. They moved to a little farm house outside Enumclaw in 1989 and together they raised three children there, along with numerous horses, ponies, cows, chickens, pigs, turkeys, dogs, cats, rabbits and the occasional alpaca. She was active in the Enumclaw community, where she brightened the lives of all who met her. She spent 15 years as a 4-H leader, horse show judge and mentor, during which she provided support to many at-risk youth. She also kept busy supporting her children at horse shows, Enumclaw High fastpitch and wrestling matches, band concerts, football games and marching band competitions. She could be found riding her horse in the foothills around Enumclaw, waterskiing or snowmobiling with her family, or working on one of the countless improvement projects she envisioned around her farm.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 25 years, Steve; daughters Hillary Dawn and husband Mick, and Jillian of Enumclaw; son Wyley, a junior at EHS; sister Caryl Lennox and husband Ian of Langley, B.C.; brother Garry Ploegsma of North Bend, Wash.; and mother Wilma Ploegsma of Enumclaw.

A celebration of life will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 11, at Wabash Presbyterian Church, followed by a reception at the Masonic Hall Crescent Lodge 109 in Enumclaw.

In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to the cancer benefit and pancake feed being put on by community members from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday, May 18.

All who knew her are welcome to attend.