Sue Ellen Wall

Sue Ellen Wall was born on July 10, 1947, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Roland and Virginia Purifoy. She was the oldest of four children and is survived by her brother, Rollie Purifoy, and her sisters, Trisha Campbell (Kent Campbell), and Barbie Potter (Larry Potter). Sue attended Queen Palmer Elementary School and East Junior High in Colorado Springs. In 1962, during her sophomore year of high school, her family moved to Fort Lupton, Colorado. She graduated from Fort Lupton High School in 1965 and went on to attend Colorado State University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Vocational Education. She later earned a Master of Arts degree in Educational Administration.

On February 10, 1968, Sue married John Tuell. Their daughter, Kimberly Sue Folkestad, was born later that year in 1968. The couple lived in married student housing at Colorado State University until 1970, when Sue began her teaching career and the family moved to Loveland, Colorado. Sue taught vocational business education at Loveland High School from 1970 to 1976 and served as department chairperson.

In 1976, Sue joined Thompson Valley High School, where she helped plan the new school and continued teaching business education. She served as department chair for many years and later became the first woman assistant principal at the school. Sue and John welcomed their second child, Jeffrey Scott Tuell, in 1975, while living on Cedar Drive in Loveland.

In 1985, Sue and John divorced, and Sue moved with Kimberly and Jeff to a home on Tupelo Drive in Loveland.

On June 17, 1989, Sue married Jan Wall. The couple moved to north Denver to accommodate Jan's teaching position in Littleton and Sue's administrative role in Loveland. In 1994, after Jeff graduated from high school and Jan retired, Sue and Jan returned to Loveland, where they made their home. They enjoyed hosting family, traveling to Mexico, playing dice and card games, and sharing meals and laughter with friends.

Sue continued her career at Thompson Valley High School and later served as vice principal. She was recognized as Colorado Assistant Principal of the Year in 1995 and Vocational Educator of the Year in 1997. That same year, Superintendent Dr. Don Saul selected Sue to become the founding principal of Mountain View High School.

From 1997 until the school opened in 2000, Sue worked closely with a team of teachers and community members to design and establish Mountain View High School. She became the first woman to serve as a secondary school principal in the Thompson School District. Sue retired in the spring of 2002 after 32 years as an educator.

In the summer of 2008, the auditorium at Mountain View High School was named in her honor. A bronze plaque in the school lobby reads, "Great deeds are done when minds and mountains meet." At that time, Sue was the only educator in the Thompson School District to have worked at all three Loveland high schools.

Sue was a strong and dedicated woman whose greatest pride was her family. She is survived by her children, Kimberly Sue Folkestad and husband Mark, formerly of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and Jeffrey Scott Tuell and his partner Jayme Ritchie of Denver. She was also a stepmother to Cindy Cousins (Mark Cousins), Tony Wall, Reggie Wall (Carolyn Wall), and Rick Wall.

Sue is survived by her granddaughters Alicia Dixon (James Dixon), Lexington Tuell, and Kensington Tuell, and her great-granddaughter Hadley Dixon. She was also a loving step-grandmother to Zack Folkestad, Nicole Cousins, Kelsey Cousins, Rachel Wall, and Jesselyn Wall.

During her 56 years in Loveland, Sue was active in numerous community organizations. She was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Philo, Foothills Service League, PEO, the Loveland Rotary Club, Investigators Ink, Important Stuff, and an investment club. She also enjoyed a longstanding weekly card game with close friends every Wednesday afternoon.

Sue was known for her generosity and thoughtfulness. Gift giving was one of her favorite ways to show love, especially during the holidays when her artistically wrapped presents often filled every corner of the room. She also loved cooking and entertaining, often preparing elaborate meals and sharing favorite dishes with family and friends.

Sue enjoyed puzzles, coloring, online browsing, dominoes, Yahtzee, Zilch, Quixx, and many other games. She collected teacups, frog lawn ornaments, Santas, jewelry, aprons, and cooking gadgets, and she enjoyed decorating her home for the seasons. She traveled widely, including trips to Mexico, the Netherlands to see the tulips, Thanksgiving in Australia, and even rode a camel in her seventies.

Sue appreciated good food, including grilled filet, honey walnut prawns, cheese, and her favorite sweets. She also loved Coca-Cola Slurpees, Sonic ice, and eventually her own nugget ice machine. Rarely seen without her insulated cup full of ice, she enjoyed "crunching ice" wherever she went.

Sue lived by the motto she adopted at her high school graduation in 1965: "Success is not measured by the height obtained, but by the obstacles overcome in its attainment." Throughout her life, she broke barriers in education while remaining deeply devoted to her family and friends.

Sue Ellen Wall passed away unexpectedly on Friday, March 6, 2026, at the age of 78. She will be deeply missed.

Memorial service will be held April 26th, 10:00 AM at Mountain View High School. A Celebration Reception will follow after at 12:00. Place TBD still.

Thompson Education Foundation 800 S Taft Avenue Loveland, CO 80537 or made online at: https://www.thompsontef.org/donate There is a notes section where people can indicate the gift is in memory of Sue E. Wall.