On July 29th Lori Denise Sutton-Egger was called home to her waiting family. Born February 16, 1962 in Murrysville, Pennsylvania to John and Verna ‘Ethel’ Sutton, Lori was the apple of her father’s eye. Following John’s death in 1966, Lori’s mother moved her and her older sister Leslea to Grand Junction, Colorado. There she took on a paper route and grew to be a beautiful, athletic, widely loved student. During high school she worked for City Market to make money for college. Following her graduation from Mesa College, Lori attended the University of Colorado where she earned a master’s degree in K/12 education. She taught at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs before returning to UNC to earn a bachelor’s degree in Special Education. During her college studies Lori earned top honors at the University and was named in Who’s Who in American Educators.
While teaching in Las Vegas, Lori met Chris Egger. They married June 27th, 1992. Together they enjoyed exploring different parts of the Western States, making homes in Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Washington, and finally Arizona. Through their travels, Lori frequently received letters of praise from parents of students she helped to read after they had been cast aside by the system. Lori had an uncanny skill for understanding a student’s learning needs and how to quickly fix them. Parents and students adored her.
Above all else Lori loved her pet dogs. Beau, Mia, Milo, Niko, and Sailor were always by her side, and she totally spoiled them. Everywhere that Lori went her dogs were sure to follow. Sadly, she was never able to teach them how to read or count very well. One of Lori’s greatest disappointments.
When her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Lori gave up her teaching career to spend full time caring for Ethel. With loving compassion Lori eased her mother through those trying years until her February 2009 passing. Through it all, Ethel always remembered her ‘darling Lori’.
Lori was preceded in death by her father, John Sutton, sister, Leslea Ann Sutton, and mother, Verna Ethel Youngberg. She is survived by her husband, Chris Egger, and aunt, June Harbig.
Lori will be laid to rest next to her mother in Phoenix. A memorial service will be held this Fall in Grand Junction, Colorado. Everyone who has met Lori will miss her beautiful eyes and warm smile. Rest in peace my ‘darling Lori’.
Stacy Murch Arnold
June and Chris,
I’m so shocked to see Lori has passed onto Heaven. She has always been a best friend of mine, even though we hadn’t seen each other for years. My brother Jon Murch passed away in November at age 59, so when I saw Lori’s obituary it broke my heart again. I’m located in Cedaredge now. Lori not only will be remembered for her eyes and smile but I still remember her laugh as well. We use to swim for hours in the summer and I loved working with her at City Market. I met her shortly after her sister had passed. We use to sit and talk about her sister In the park. It was sad that she had so much loss in her life so young.