Obituary for Suzanne Bunker-Kishimoto
Suzanne Bunker-Kishimoto
April 10, 1950 – April 28, 2023
Suzanne Bunker-Kishimoto was born on April 10, 1950 in Los Angeles, CA, the first of four children of Bruce F. Bunker and Betty M. Bunker. She passed away at home on April 28, 2023. Suzanne grew up in Bakersfield where she attended East Bakersfield High School. She then majored in History and minored in Geology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, graduating in 1972. Later, Suzanne completed her Masters in Counseling at California State University, Bakersfield and Pupil Personnel Services credential from the University of La Verne.
After graduating college, Suzanne lived abroad in Japan and Australia, then returned to the States to live in Seattle, WA and San Mateo, CA. There she became a mother, having her daughter Mari in 1988 and her son Andrew in 1989. As she had a strong connection with her family, she returned to Bakersfield so she and her children could be closer to her parents and siblings.
Suzanne was a passionate woman of many talents who could do anything to which she set her mind. She worked several different careers, including teaching English abroad, owning a furniture brokerage company, working for Boy Scouts of America’s Southern Sierra Council as a District Executive and Camp Kern Director at Huntington Lake, an Intervention Counselor at Tevis Jr. High School, and finally found her passion as a science teacher in alternative education at CLC Tech with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools. She loved her ability to impact students in a positive manner while helping them learn science in a fun, hands-on environment. She also spent many years volunteering as a Girl Scout, Boy Scout and Venture Crew leader, taking her children and their friends camping, teaching them life lessons, and mentoring them.
Suzanne will be remembered for her kindness, intelligence, inquisitive nature, and her positive attitude. She always found great joy in traveling the world and learning about new cultures, having visited all 50 states as well as Asia, Australia, and Europe on multiple occasions. Each trip she would stop by as many art galleries, museums, obscure roadside attractions, and other sights as she possibly could, often taking the “scenic route” to see areas many tourists did not. When she was not traveling, she enjoyed being around friends and family or at home reading a good book that had been chosen by her Book Club.
She is proceeded in death by her father Bruce F. Bunker, mother Betty M. Bunker, and brother Charles F. Bunker. She is survived by her daughter Mari Kishimoto Palomo and son-in-law Gregory Palomo, her son Kazunori Andrew Kishimoto and his significant other Macey McGregor, and her grandchildren Karlee Palomo, Garritt Palomo, Kaycee Palomo and soon-to-be born granddaughter. She is also survived by her sisters Carolyn Bunker and Robin Bunker Bishop, and brother-in-law William Bishop, as well as her nieces and nephews Mary Barnes, Dave Barnes, Abby Brown, Sereno Brown, Billy Bishop, Rachel Bishop, Alisa Friend and Paul Friend, in addition to numerous other family members and friends.
A celebration of Suzanne’s life will be held at the Bakersfield Museum of Art on Friday, May 19, 2023, at 3:00 PM.
April 10, 1950 – April 28, 2023
Suzanne Bunker-Kishimoto was born on April 10, 1950 in Los Angeles, CA, the first of four children of Bruce F. Bunker and Betty M. Bunker. She passed away at home on April 28, 2023. Suzanne grew up in Bakersfield where she attended East Bakersfield High School. She then majored in History and minored in Geology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, graduating in 1972. Later, Suzanne completed her Masters in Counseling at California State University, Bakersfield and Pupil Personnel Services credential from the University of La Verne.
After graduating college, Suzanne lived abroad in Japan and Australia, then returned to the States to live in Seattle, WA and San Mateo, CA. There she became a mother, having her daughter Mari in 1988 and her son Andrew in 1989. As she had a strong connection with her family, she returned to Bakersfield so she and her children could be closer to her parents and siblings.
Suzanne was a passionate woman of many talents who could do anything to which she set her mind. She worked several different careers, including teaching English abroad, owning a furniture brokerage company, working for Boy Scouts of America’s Southern Sierra Council as a District Executive and Camp Kern Director at Huntington Lake, an Intervention Counselor at Tevis Jr. High School, and finally found her passion as a science teacher in alternative education at CLC Tech with the Kern County Superintendent of Schools. She loved her ability to impact students in a positive manner while helping them learn science in a fun, hands-on environment. She also spent many years volunteering as a Girl Scout, Boy Scout and Venture Crew leader, taking her children and their friends camping, teaching them life lessons, and mentoring them.
Suzanne will be remembered for her kindness, intelligence, inquisitive nature, and her positive attitude. She always found great joy in traveling the world and learning about new cultures, having visited all 50 states as well as Asia, Australia, and Europe on multiple occasions. Each trip she would stop by as many art galleries, museums, obscure roadside attractions, and other sights as she possibly could, often taking the “scenic route” to see areas many tourists did not. When she was not traveling, she enjoyed being around friends and family or at home reading a good book that had been chosen by her Book Club.
She is proceeded in death by her father Bruce F. Bunker, mother Betty M. Bunker, and brother Charles F. Bunker. She is survived by her daughter Mari Kishimoto Palomo and son-in-law Gregory Palomo, her son Kazunori Andrew Kishimoto and his significant other Macey McGregor, and her grandchildren Karlee Palomo, Garritt Palomo, Kaycee Palomo and soon-to-be born granddaughter. She is also survived by her sisters Carolyn Bunker and Robin Bunker Bishop, and brother-in-law William Bishop, as well as her nieces and nephews Mary Barnes, Dave Barnes, Abby Brown, Sereno Brown, Billy Bishop, Rachel Bishop, Alisa Friend and Paul Friend, in addition to numerous other family members and friends.
A celebration of Suzanne’s life will be held at the Bakersfield Museum of Art on Friday, May 19, 2023, at 3:00 PM.