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Marion Eisenhauer Bunting, 94

Marion was born April 8, 1925, in Spokane, Wash., to Herman Eisenhauer and Mary Long Eisenhauer. She passed into God’s grace on Dec. 7, 2019, at Advanced Health Care in Coeur d’Alene due to complications from pneumonia.

Survivors include her two sons: Allen and Bill; five grandchildren: Laetitia, Jeremy, Brian, Danielle and Jesse; and two great-grandchildren: Lisa and Elio; plus her nephew, John Eisenhauer and a cousin, Denis Long. She was godmother to Jen Kildow Sinnema and daughter of John and Marty Kildow, who were lifelong friends.

Marion grew up during the Great Depression in Post Falls. Her father, Herman, was the mayor twice, a store owner and a grain wholesaler. Her mother, from Grangeville, Idaho, was a graduate of the Normal School in Lewiston. Mary Eisenhauer was a highly regarded teacher at Post Falls High School. Her older brother, John, became a doctor and served in World War II before a career at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Spokane.

Some of Marion’s and the family’s history can be found at the Post Falls Museum. The icon in honor of her mother, Mary Long Eisenhauer, can be found at Tilly’s Restaurant in Post Falls, which was Marion’s home during her youth.

She graduated from Post Falls High School in 1943 and went on to the University of Idaho, where she obtained a BS in home economics. She was president of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and was a member of the diving team. It was there that she met her future husband, Robert Bunting, a Grangeville native who was a World War II Navy veteran.

Mrs. E.’s Kitchen, in the basement of The Jacklin Arts and Cultural Center in Post Falls, is in honor of her mother, Mary Eisenhauer, who taught History and Home Economics. Following her mother’s path, shortly after college, Marion worked for the Centennial Flour Mill in Spokane, Wash., under the name “Celia Lee,” where she taught housewives how to cook, demonstrated recipes, wrote articles in the paper, and hosted radio shows.

The couple married in 1951 in Coeur d’Alene at the Kildow residence overlooking beautiful Coeur d’Alene Lake. They settled in Grangeville for four years. Robert worked full-time teaching and Marion part-time for a government extension program, traveling to small towns in Idaho. A year after Allen’s birth, Robert accepted a teaching position in East County San Diego, and later in school administration. Marion worked part-time in adult education classes, teaching sewing. They settled in La Mesa, Calif. and were very active in the community and the Episcopal Church.

The Buntings were very close to the Franklin family of El Cajon, Calif., and Marion was a second mother to their daughter, Cindy. Many Sundays, holidays and vacations were shared between families.

Robert retired in 1983 and the couple moved back to Idaho in 1986, living in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls. They traveled extensively, often to Europe to see their son, Allen, and their grandchildren. Marion was very active, supporting the many missions of St Luke’s Episcopal Church in Coeur d’Alene. She was involved in many community charitable organizations.

Marion always had a smile and will be remembered as a very kind and gentle person. Her life will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, at the St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 501 Wallace St., Coeur d’Alene.

English Funeral Chapel has been entrusted with the arrangements. Please sign Marion’s online memorial at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.