Sue Ellen Porter, age 68 of Sunnyvale, California, formerly of the Dallas City, Illinois area, died at 6:30 p.m. Monday May 17, 2010 at her home. Sue Ellen was born on November 16, 1941 in Ft. Madison, Iowa. Her parents are Carroll Porter (died 1998) and Mary Sparrow Porter who lives in Santa Barbara, California.

Sue Ellen married her beloved David Bogdanoff on December 26, 1974. Together they played music, loved folk dancing, established folk dance music bands, studied languages, especially Spanish, and traveled extensively. Most recently they traveled to South Africa where they had the dream trip of a life time as they went on Safari and photographed the wild animals they observed in nature.

Sue Ellen first attended Houghton College in New York and then the University of Maryland. Sue Ellen was ordained a Presbyterian minister in June of 1975 after graduating from Fuller Theological Seminary and has pursued her Christian faith in many ways. A special love was her participation with David inthree different Latino churches.

For the last ten years Sue Ellen has extensively researched family history and produced an amazing genealogy book for the family.As part of her research shevisited the birthplaces of her mother's French Huguenot ancestors and her father's German ancestors. She stated, "Their stories of faith and courage touched me deeply."

Sue Ellen will be especially missed at the74th Annual Sparrow Family Reunion held every Father's Day in Crepo Park in Burlington. She brought herhappy energy and playfulness to this family event.

Sue Ellen is survived by her husband David, her mother Mary Porter,her Aunt Ruth Sparrow and her Uncle Walt Sparrow. She also is survived by and much loved by hersisterand her sister's husband, Bob and Lyn Carman,by her nieces and nephew and their spouses,Patricia Carman, Laurie and Harald von Melchner, Maire and Patrick Radis, and Eric and IsabelleCarman and her grand nieces and nephews, Willie Radis, Ginavon Melchner, Corey Radis, Ricki Carman, Max von Melchner, Isabelle Radis, Juliette Carman, Elise Carman, and Theodore Carman.Also much loved are David's brothers.Peter and Stephen and their wives, Mary and Sherry,andnieces Kira Elizabeth Bogdanoff and Kristen Mary Bogdanoff.

The funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday May 22, 2010at Banks & Beals Funeral Home in Dallas City,immediately followed by the burial in Dallas Cemetery in the plot with her Grandfather and Grandmother, Lewis and Susana Porter, and her father, Carroll Porter.No Visitation is planned.In lieu of flowers, contributions to cancer research are appreciated.