Denise Lurue Sundquist of Irrigon passed away on April 11, 2020 after a battle with an ongoing illness at the age of 69.
Denise was born on Feb. 7, 1951 in Greensboro, N.C. to Raynell and Garland Williams.
When she was a young girl, her family migrated west to Long Beach, Calif., as many did during the post-war economic boom. After high school she married William “Sonny” Sundquist. Together they had three children, Sondra, Michelle and Christopher. They later divorced.
Living in southeast Washington state, she enrolled in an auto body school, learning to repair and paint cars while raising her three children on her own. She acquired a classic Ford Thunderbird and gave it a makeover, including a beautiful red paint job. She was so proud of that car. However, her career was short-lived, as the male-dominated profession was not ready to accept a woman in their ranks in those days.
She continued to work hard to raise her kids. She worked in fast food for a while, and had a job at a pizza restaurant for a number of years. For a brief time she was known as “the pizza lady” all over the town of Walla Walla, due to starring in a local TV commercial for the pizza joint. She didn’t enjoy the fame, but was a good sport about it when all her beer-drinking groupies asked her for an autograph at the tavern across the street from the pizza place.
With Chuck, she lived in Arizona, Idaho, and finally Eastern Oregon, as his line of work necessitated relocating from time to time. While in Arizona, she worked for the school district as “the cafeteria lady.” She just loved working around all the children. That experience led her to jump at the chance to work for the Umatilla School District after relocating to Oregon. Some of the students thought she was overly strict if she caught them making a mess, or otherwise misbehaving. However, the students respected and admired her. She referred to all the students as “my kids.” Denise was a custodian at Umatilla High School for many years, retiring in 2017.
She was passionate about flowers and house plants and enjoyed a large number of craft hobbies, riding on the back of a Harley (even in the rain), live comedy shows, and having a good time in general. Pity the fool that went fishing with her, if said fool could not accept being skunked by a girl.
First and foremost, she loved her family: her children and their spouses, Sondra, Michelle and Joe, Chris and Jessica; her grandchildren, Korey, April, Jake, Jesse, Amanda, Zach, Skyler, Bear and Mason; her two sisters, Sharon and Carol Lynn; her brother, Eddie; and all the extended family she acquired along the way. She touched the lives of many and will be missed by all.
Denise never stopped grieving the loss of her mother because she loved her mom so much.
A celebration gathering will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Please share memories of Denise with her family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
