Suzanne Bunker died peacefully at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on August 3. She was 74.

Suzanne (or Suzie, as her friends called her) was born on October 19, 1945 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Her parents were Regina McLaughlin Fischer of Fort Kent, Maine and Albert O. Fischer Jr. of Vineyard Haven.

Suzie was the third of four children – Douglas, Marie, herself and Albert – who were raised on Keith’s Farm in Chilmark. She had an independent spirit that started out at the young age of two when she would climb out of her crib before anyone else was awake and would walk out to the barn to check the animals.

That independent spirit followed her through her teenage years when she would drive around on her motorcycle dressed only in her bikini. She was also daring enough to swim out to the Menemsha bell buoy.

She graduated from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School with the class of 1964. Soon after, she fell in love with John H. Bunker from Oak Bluffs. They were married on October 21, 1966, and they raised their three children, Rodney, John and Erica on North Road in the neighborhood known as North Bend.

Suzanne was a hardworking, devoted mother and wife who always found activities for her family such as going to the beach, fishing on Dutcher Dock for squid and mackerel, picking blueberries and “bottle dumping.”

Suzie was self-employed with a house cleaning business called S&M House Cleaning, named after her and her friend Molly Carroll. They had many clients on the Island, particularly up-Island, but she always made time to bring her children and their friends to the beach most afternoons. She was an avid gardener and a sunbather and she enjoyed evenings in Menemsha where friends would gather to watch their children play.

Suzanne Bunker will be sorely missed by her friends and family.

She is predeceased by her daughter Erica M. Ponte.

She is survived by her two sons, Rodney H. Bunker, and his wife Pamela; and John H. Bunker, Jr., and his partner, Lynlee Gale; her sister and two brothers, Marie Scott, Douglas and Albert Fischer; and many grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Anyone who wishes to attend her funeral, it will be held on Sunday, August 23 at 1 p.m. at the Abel Hill Cemetery in Chilmark.