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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
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Sue Steadman
BETTY SUE STEADMAN
Cedar Rapids
Sue Steadman passed peacefully away in her home on Nov. 1, 2021, in Tucson, Ariz. She would have been 97 years old on Nov. 19.
One of six children, Sue was born Betty Christine Phillips in 1924, in Rohrsburg, Pa. Noticing his daughter's talent for singing in church, Betty's father took her at age 11 to audition for WRAK in Williamsburg. She became a regular and was so popular with her audience that the radio station ran a contest to select a stage name for her; she was renamed "Sunny Sue." By the age of 14, Sue had quit school and formed her own band "Sunny Sue and the Sunset Ranch Boys." Her father sold his general store, became Sue's manager and Sue's gifts supported her family and eight other band members. At 17, they began to explore other markets, moving to Nashville, WKNY in Kingston, New York, and WKIP out of Poughkeepsie. Opportunity for a national audience came when they joined WMT out of Cedar Rapids.
She married Craig Webb in 1946, putting a hold on her career in music, and had two children, Jeff and Jeri. In 1967, Sue met and married Bill Steadman of Steadman Printing and worked alongside Bill until their retirement.
In 1981, they moved to Tucson, where Sue donated her time and talents wherever she was needed. Sue was a popular contributor to the Picture Rocks "Hummin' and Strummin'" community. Wearing blue jeans, cowboy shirt, neckerchief, and boots, she played guitar, bass fiddle, and sang and yodeled in her signature style. When she was 90 years old, she tried out for "America's Got Talent" and with her yodeling, won runner-up.
Preceding her in death was her husband, Bill Steadman; and her grandson, Andy Webb.
She is survived by her son, Jeff Webb; her daughter, Jeri Goforth; and stepdaughters, Deb (George) Knackstedt and Cindy Madden.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 19, at Living Word Baptist Church, 13526 N. Sandario Rd., Marana, Ariz. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Women's Missionary Union in care of Jill Craghead.
You were dearly loved and will be deeply missed Sue. Thank you for bringing so much joy to our lives.
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