Florence Sue Bunch

Florence Sue Dobyns (Bunch) was born in Drury, Mo., on Nov. 7, 1935, to Thomas and Eva Dobyns. She passed away Dec. 16, 2023, in Othello, Wash., at the age of 88. She was known all her life as "Sue" or "Susie" to her family and friends. In 1943, when she was 7 years old, her family moved from the green Ozarks of southern Missouri out west to Yerington, Nev., a semi-arid basin and range landscape, where Sue's father had found work at a dairy, close to relatives of Sue's mother. In 1949, the family moved again, this time to the Treasure Valley farmland around Wilder, Idaho, where Sue graduated from Wilder High School in 1954.

During 1955, Sue worked briefly as a clerk at Caldwell Memorial Hospital. Around this time, she was introduced to an Oregon farmboy named Richard Bunch through her cousin Uva Baker — Uva had connections both in Caldwell (where Richard had attended boarding school) and College Place, Wash. (where he started his undergraduate studies). Richard and Sue were married June 23, 1956, and Richard went on to finish his undergraduate work at the University of Oregon in Eugene. They welcomed their first son, Randel, in 1957. Later, Richard transferred to Portland to attend medical school, during which time son Mark joined the family in 1959, and son Kirk in 1961. Later that year, the young family moved to Spokane, Wash., for Richard's internship. In 1962 they settled in Othello, Wash., where Richard had been recruited to join a small but growing medical practice. Othello became Sue's home for most of the rest of her life, and her sons grew up there.

In 1976, Richard and Sue divorced, and over the ensuing few years, her sons graduated from high school and went their separate ways. After Kirk's graduation in 1979, Sue moved to Spokane to be closer to her sister Marilyn. She might have stayed there, but as the 1980s gave way to the 1990s, her sons started coming back to Othello — first Randy to join his father's medical practice, then Mark to work in their clinic's administration, and eventually Kirk, in retirement, to be around for his parents. With the birth of her first grandchild in 1996, Sue moved back to Othello to be close by and, as it turned out, never moved away again.

Sue was always devoted to her family, keeping close ties to her siblings (whose families have maintained an annual reunion for over 55 years). In her eyes, her sons could do little wrong and her grandchildren could do none at all. She was a hard and diligent worker who maintained continuous employment for some 40 years — she insisted on being on time and doing things the right way. She was a meticulous housekeeper, an accomplished cook and baker and a formidable seamstress. She enjoyed vegetable gardening, but was especially fond of her roses. She stayed involved in church activities with Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Othello, where she was a mainstay of the church's quilting group. Over the years, she participated in community organizations such as the Theater Guild, bowling leagues, various social clubs, and the Hospital Auxiliary. She always enjoyed a good visit with friends.

Sue was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Eldon, Carl and Loren; and sisters Vera, Olive and Marilyn. She is survived by sons Randy (Carolyn), Mark (Jaynae) and Kirk (Ailene); and grandchildren John, Georgia, Isaac, Eleanor and Alistair. She is also survived by her dog, Lola, a longtime, much-loved companion and friend.

Family and friends are invited to an open viewing for Sue on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023, from 5 to 8 p.m., at the Stevens Funeral Chapel in Othello. There will be a memorial service this spring in Othello, at a date yet to be determined.