Richard Everett Bunce, 69

Richard Everett Bunce, a lifelong North Idaho resident, passed away at his home in Potlatch, Idaho, on Jan. 7, 2016, after a two-year, courageous battle with cancer. He was 69.

“Not going to give up.

I will get better

I have gotten better”

Those words, written on a small yellow tablet by Richard each day for many months after his initial diagnosis, provided the motivation for him to continue on. It was the belief in those words that allowed him to continue to do the things that he loved most for nearly two years.

Richard was born on July 3, 1946, in Wallace, Idaho, to Everett and Phyllis Bunce. He spent his younger years in Pinehurst, Idaho. His family moved to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in 1953 where Richard attended school and graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School in 1964. Richard married Sharon Tibbitts at Coeur d’Alene and the couple made their home there.

Not one to sit around idly, Richard was always on the go and a hard and dedicated worker as an employee, manager and self-employed business owner. He worked in the grocery business for 50 years, beginning as a box boy in 1963 at Albertson’s in Coeur d’Alene, quickly rising to the role of assistant manager. He then went to work for Roundup, Co (later SuperValu), a large grocery distributer, in Spokane, Wash., as the Drug/Variety Manager. Later, he fulfilled a dream to own his own grocery store by purchasing a store in Potlatch in 1981. He later sold the store and went to work for Pipeline Distributing as a convenience store manager in Plummer, Idaho. He ended his grocery career with Busch Distributing in Moscow, Idaho, as store manager at Sunset Mart in Troy, Idaho.

He was a 10-year member of the Potlatch Volunteer Fire Department as a firefighter and EMT, and enjoyed helping people in that role.

Richard was an avid gardener who always had a large garden and well-kept yard. He enjoyed hunting and fishing immensely, looking forward to the beginning of hunting season each year. He enjoyed watching the grandkids grow and attending their school and sporting events, riding ATVs, and spending time in the outdoors with them.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Sharon, at their Potlatch home; his two sons, Ken (Chris) Bunce and Wayne (Angela) Bunce, both of Clarkston, Wash.,; his brother, Doug Bunce of Coeur d’Alene; his sister, Teresa Abernathy, also of Coeur d’Alene; and five grandkids.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 16, 2016, at the Palouse Federated Church, N. 635 Church St., Palouse, Wash., with Pastor Larry Veith officiating.

The family suggests that memorials be made to the Potlatch Volunteer Fire Department

Kramer Funeral Home, Palouse, is handling the arrangements.