Susan Alma Wahlen Markham

Susan Alma Wahlen Markham, 71
years of age, in Huntington Beach, CA,
passed away peacefully, surrounded by
family, on Monday, Jan. 9, 2023.
Susan was the second and oldest
daughter of seven children. Born March
29, 1951, raised in Aberdeen, ID, by
Floyd Chester Wahlen and Orva Marie
Broadhead Wahlen. Susan and her six siblings:
David, Kim, Jan, Wendy,
Val, and Eric, were raised in love
and laughter.
Susan attended Brigham
Young University in Provo,
where she earned a Bachelor’s
degree in Music Education.
There, she met and later married
the love of her life, Melvin Gerald
Markham, in the Idaho Falls
Temple of The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints on
Aug. 5, 1972.
After attending dental school
in Chicago, they settled in Huntington
Beach raising six kids: MaraLee,
Melinda, Steven, Gregory, Brian, and
Lynn. Mel and Susan served as mission
leaders presiding over the Guatemala City
Central Mission from July 1, 2014 to July
1, 2017.
Susan was a true friend to all and had
a gift for connecting with people at a very
real level. She blessed the lives of others
through her musical abilities in church,
community, several schools, and down to
one on one instruction in her own home,
where payment was optional. The focus
was on helping the next generation.
Susan was best remembered not only
as a strong mother, but as a mother figure
to 500 missionaries in Guatemala which
earned her the nickname of GuateMama.
Her conviction to the Savior, Jesus Christ,
was manifested throughout her life and in
all that she said and did.
Susan is survived by:
her husband, Mel Markham;
MaraLee Markham Ziebarth
(Adam) and their children
Allison Ziebarth Higbee
(Christian), Jake Ziebarth,
Zack Ziebarth, and Travis
Ziebarth; Melinda Markham
Prior (David) and their children
Chandler Prior (Katelyn),
and their children, Violet Prior
and Booker Prior; Rachel
Prior Robbins (Coleman) and
their child, Remi Robbins;
Ammon Prior, Emily Prior,
and Trevor Prior; Steven Markham (Carrie)
and their children Sara Markham, and
Ben Markham; Gregory Markham (Alyson)
and their children, Tanner Markham
(Kate), Tyson Markham, Isaac Markham,
Isabelle Markham, and Levi Markham;
Brian Markham (Cortney) and their children
Mikayla Dickinson Evans (Nate),
Aubree Dickinson, Jacob Dickinson, and
Ashley Markham; Lynn Markham (Cerise)
and their children Calvin Markham,
Nash Markham, Kento Markham, Kira
Markham, and Maya Markham.