Susan Lucille Munk passed away on Tuesday, March 14th, at Oregon Health & Sciences University hospital at the age of 48. She was preceded in death by her parents, Sandra and Clarence, and is survived by her spouse Bryan Parks, nieces Alyssa Marie and Emma Nicole, sister-in-law Jennifer Hicks, several aunts, a multitude of cousins, and many wonderful friends.

Susy was born in Redding, CA on January 7, 1969.  While still a child, her family moved around the western US – first to Anchorage, AK, then Post Falls, ID – following the changes of her father’s career in the Forest Service.  Eventually the family would settle down in Colville on the Munk family farm.

As a teenager Susy participated in 4H, learned how to handle the responsibilities of living on a rural farm, and made close friends at Colville High. After graduating, she followed her parents’ and grandparents’ footsteps in pursuing an undergraduate degree at Washington State University. She majored in communications, minored in geology, wrote and produced the campus comedy program Live at Eight, and established lifelong relationships with an amazing group of friends.

She moved to Los Angeles briefly, before returning home to Eastern Washington and working for the Bureau of Land Management, and then decided to continue her education by pursuing a law degree at Gonzaga University.  She furthered her education with a Masters in Taxation Law at the University of Washington in Seattle, and later found employment with the Bank of America estate settlement group there, which remained her employer until her passing.

The last six years of her life were spent at her home in Portland, OR, with Bryan, their cats, and the many friends and neighbors she shared her life with.  She was lucky enough to travel the country and the world, both as a tourist and a hiking enthusiast.  And she spent a good amount of time celebrating life with her friends and family – sharing her upbeat spirit, her wonderful wit, and amazing laugh with all she came in touch with. She left too soon and we miss her a great deal.

In Susy’s memory, please make a donation to the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, which does an amazing job at helping those fighting the disease, as well as researching new treatments to control and hopefully cure it:

http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/cancer/how-you-can-help/make-a-gift/