Florence K. Bunker

Florence Kinsey Bunker, age 82, passed away peacefully in her own bed on July 13, 2022, in Sutherland, UT. She was born in Kingman, AZ on November 9, 1939, to Clara Catherine Cooper and Charles Louis Kinsey, Sr., and grew up in Chloride, AZ. Mom often spoke of attending a one room schoolhouse until high school, when they were bussed to Kingman, AZ.  She never attended college but furthered her education as an avid reader.

Her first husband was Roy Everett Purcell, they had all 8 of us kids together. After their youngest, Kasyn was born, they divorced amicably. Roy stayed in Las Vegas, Mom and those remaining at home, moved to Fillmore, UT.  She met her second husband, Boyd Lamond Bunker, at a church singles group. Boyd courted her with fresh asparagus from Sutherland irrigation ditches, and donuts for the kids. They married on her birthday, 1990, and moved to The Bunker Farm in Sutherland; Boyd finished raising the 4 younger kids as his own.

Mom loved being a mom, except for the for the cooking part. She taught us all to cook from her sewing machine. “If you can read, you can cook” was her mantra. There was ALWAYS a quilt on the frames; and she designed her elevated quilting frames to be raised and lowered from ceiling hooks. GENIUS! She was an enthusiastic quilter, following some patterns, but often creating original fabric art that we all cherish as priceless heirlooms. She loved to crochet and created everything from beautiful lace altar cloths for the temples, to The Best Potholders Ever! She has passed this love onto multiple children. She loved the family gathering to pick prickly pears for cactus jelly. Oh, the stories! One of our sisters-in-law still goes by Cactus Butt!!

Plants thrived for her. When she walked by a plant it would stand taller, glow greener, and sing the hallelujah chorus! She has a jungle of decades old Christmas cacti that bloom pink and white blossoms year-round.

Our mother was a one-of-a-kind woman; strong, kind, funny, and shy. She always said she should have been born 100 years earlier, but she waited because we needed to be born in this time. She was right, as usual. She could do anything, and if not, she taught herself how. She was a woman of few words, but when she spoke, you listened! She did not tolerate “horse pucky” and called us on it all the time.

She was a life-long member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, still is, and has a deep, solid faith in Our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. She had an unshakable moral compass and left us with deep foundations of faith.

She is survived by 6 children: Cýntea (Ross) Anderson, Oak City, UT; Ramiel (Roy) Christensen, Lincoln, NB; Rischele (David) Forthoffer, Sutherland, UT; Loren (Christine) Purcell, Las Vegas, NV; Saronna (Randy) Clark, Dugway, UT; and Kasyn Purcell, Sutherland, UT; 20 grandchildren, and 20 great-grandchildren (+1 in the making).  Also, stepchildren: Ken (Dawn) Bunker, Reno, NV; Pamela Olsen, Sparks, NV; and Bruce Bunker, and their families.

Preceded in death by husband Boyd Lamond Bunker; son Roy Solari Purcell; daughter Ella Taana Purcell Ford; grandson, Terek Neil Huntington; mother, Clara Catherine Cooper Kinsey; father, Charles Louis Kinsey Sr.; brother, Charles Louis Jr.; and sister, Carol Kinsey Spears.

MANY THANK YOUs to Intermountain Hospice for their wonderful care, especially Sherri Pace RN, who went above and beyond, again and again.  THANK YOUs also to the other beautiful souls who stepped in to help and provided Mom with comfort. THANK YOUs also to the Sutherland 2^nd Ward Relief Society, and Christy Finlinson for the wonderful meal! We are blessed with a great community!

A graveside service will be held Saturday, July 16, 2022 in the Delta City Cemetery at 10:00 AM.