Yuma, Ariz.

January 12, 1929 — September 28, 2019

Mary Sue Haynes (Hunter) was born to Curtis and Pauline Haynes on January 12, 1929, in Cedar Grove, Tennessee, and passed away on September 28, 2019, in Phoenix, Arizona, at the age of 90¾.

Sue was raised by her mom, Pauline, and grandparents, Anderson and Sudie Lewis, in rural Tennessee. She was educated at Leach Seventh-day Adventist Church school and Broadview Academy in Hinsdale, Illinois.

Sue came west in the summer of 1946 with her mother, her Aunt Fay and Uncle Tommy Grogan and cousin Ann Noe Crook Calvert to pick fruit in the Yakima Valley. Ann and Sue grew up together like sisters, both being raised by their grandparents while their divorced mothers worked to support the family. While harvesting apples, Sue met Keith V. Hunter, a veteran of World War II who had returned home from serving (and earning two Purple Hearts) in the U.S. Army in the South Pacific. They married in Pendleton, November 4 of the same year, in the home of his brother and sister-in-law, Bud and Velta Hunter. They all worked in Hunter Brother’s Poultry. Son Michael Ray Hunter (longtime CPA in Hermiston, former wife Marsha McCormick) followed in 1947 and daughter Susan Kay Hunter (retired VP in Portland, husband John Anderton) 18 months after that.

Sue’s mother, Pauline, went back home to Hinsdale, Illinois, but moved out to Sunnyside, Washington, when Sue was pregnant with her first child, Mike, in 1947. Pauline married Bickleton farmer and rancher Henry Hooker in 1950. They had a daughter in 1950 and Sue, with two children of her own, became a “big sister” to Gale (Blankenship, husband Randy, Bickleton).

Keith and Sue Hunter worked 30+ years at Eastern Oregon State Hospital. Sue was a medical records librarian and Keith was in charge of the commissary. Keith Hunter died in January 1992 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Sue continued to live in Pendleton (over 70 years altogether) and married Spencer Mathis of Los Angeles on September 16, 1998. Together they ran a mobile repair business for the trucking industry in Pendleton. Spence and Sue retired to Yuma, Arizona, in the fall of 2016.

During her long life she was a doting grandmother to John Hunter (Dusty) and Ben Hunter (Stacey), both of Hermiston (and their children Mitchell, Danelle, Kaylee and Tyler) and Ismoon Hunter-Morton (Portland) and Jonquil Hunter-Morton (Jaime Nicholson, San Antonio). She lovingly embraced the Mathis family as a dear stepmother to Spence’s children: Spence Jr. and wife Bobbie (Beavertown, Pa.), Tracey Lynn Cardenas (Camas), and Heather Louise Mathis. She was Grammy to the Mathis children: Lisa, Chylo, Cody, Cheyenne, Michaela and Gracie.

Sue was a cherished aunt to Bud and Velta’s five children, who were all raised in Pendleton: Larry (Billie Jo, Lincoln City), Jean (Portland), Dennis (Oddie, Ocean Shores, Wash., and Phyllis Hunter, former wife, Pendleton), Kim (The Dalles) and Ron (deceased), and their children: Jeff, Steve, Cathy, Denise, Phillip, TerryLee, Christopher, Brian, Keith and Ronna.

In addition to Spence, her husband of 21 years, sister, children and stepchildren, she is survived by many nieces and nephews and grand-, great-grand-, and great-great-grandchildren.

At the age of 40 she entered college to graduate in 1970, earning an associate of arts degree at Portland Community College. A scholarship is being established in her name to help single women with children to be able to continue their education. Memorial contributions in her name may be sent to Blue Mountain Community College Foundation, P.O. Box 100, Pendleton, OR 97801.

A heartfelt thanks to Bobbie and Spencer Mathis Jr. and Shelly Ann Brown (Seaside) for their generous and special care given to Sue during her last days.