Merodean Bunker LaRose's Obituary
Merodean Bunker LaRose
Merodean Bunker LaRose, 57, wife, mother, sister, aunt and friend to everyone she knew, passed away in the loving arms of her sweetheart, Michael and her daughter, Laura on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 at her home in West Valley City, Utah. She was born on February 21, 1961 in Missoula, Montana to Richard Dean Bunker and Edith Marie Bunker. She moved with her mother and father, along with her brothers and sisters to Salt Lake City in 1966 and spent most of her childhood living in Emigration Canyon. She and Charles Arthur Willette were married in Salt Lake City on October 6, 1987. “Charlie” and Merodean had two children. Her son is Joshua Eric Willette, who was born on March 30, 1988. Her daughter, Laura Arielle Willette was born on February 18, 1990. On October 31, 1996, Merodean married Michael James LaRose. Ever the adventurer, Merodean departed with Michael and the children the day after her wedding, to live in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Together the family has also lived in Logan, Utah; Smithfield, Utah; Lexington, Illinois; Grantsville, Utah; Saint Joseph, Illinois; Hebron, Indiana; and finally landing in West Valley City in 2011. Merodean originally planned to become an engineer and studied at Utah State University from 1998 to 1999. She received an Associate Degree of Applied Science from Parkland College in Normal, Illinois in 2002. At that time, her plans changed so that she could focus on her devotion to her family. Merodean was a loving and successful mother and full-time home maker since 2002.
Although Merodean had many joys and blessings, there were two in particular which were there for her from the time that she was a little girl. The first was reading. She was never happier than when she was curled up in her favorite hideaway sitting spot with a cup of coffee, a handful of something sweet, and a good book. Her favorites were works of historical fiction, but she read everything from how-to books to fantasy epics.
Her other life-long passion was for gardening and creative landscaping. She delighted in getting things to grow. Her favorite part about living in the Midwest was marking time by watching what the farmers were doing. She was never shy about taking on big projects of her own. Merodean landscaped the properties of three of the homes that she and Michael owned together. She became a Utah Master Gardener in 2006 and an Illinois Master Gardener in 2008. Merodean had a gift for helping plants to thrive and she was a wizard at bringing sick plants back strength. Her love of living things extended to the critters of the world, too. This side of her nature showed itself one particularly cold winter in Indiana, when Merodean helped an injured possum (“Oscar”) to be safe, warm, and fed through the winter. One of her favorite memories was of seeing Oscar around the property (limping, but healthy) a year afterward.
More recently, Merodean devoloped a love for making jewelry of her own design. She was skilled at working with metal, stones, and glass. She built a loyal following of people who purchased her creations on Etsy from 2013 to 2017.
Merodean’s other interests included preserving antiques, walking on the beach, sewing, fixing up old houses, watching British movies, playing with the family cats, bird watching, and finding that diamond in the rough at a local thrift store.
Merodean gave of herself by volunteering in 2016 and 2017 at the Jordan Valley Cancer Center of Jordan Valley Hospital. She was brilliant at comforting and cheering patients who were facing difficult times in their lives. Before that, she volunteered both in Utah and in Illinois as part of her Master Gardening experience. To her family and friends, Merodean was tireless in service. Whether it was comforting a relative with terminal cancer or spending a day every week helping her mom, Merodean always put the needs of others before her own.
People were drawn to Merodean because of her cheerful, compassionate nature. Then, those same people would become friends with her when they realized how kind, generous, and fun she was. It was difficult not to smile when she smiled, and it was impossible not to laugh when she laughed. Though she never sought to be, she was central to her large extended family. Merodean was a person that everyone trusted. If one of her family was dealing with a problem or a difficult decision, Merodean was the one they called. She will be deeply missed by everyone whose lives she touched.
Merodean is survived by her husband, Michael and two children, Joshua and Laura. She also leaves her mother, Edith Bunker, 6 sisters (Linda Ann Morton (Zuckerman), Rebecca Jemayne Bunker (Peery), Deana Leone Bunker (Alder), Serrela Bunker (Winters), Vilate Bunker (Van Leeuwen), and Kay Bunker (Alder)) and seven brothers (Terry Allen Morton, Carlton Lance Bunker, Rulon Bunker, Owen Woodruff Bunker, George Scott Bunker, Richard Dean Bunker II, and Del Bunker). There are many nieces and nephews whose lives were profoundly enriched by Merodean and they will all miss her.
Those preceding her in rest, and who welcomed her home are her father, Richard Dean Bunker, her brother Robert Lane Bunker, and her twin brothers William Bunker and Keith Bunker.
Per her wishes, a private celebration of Merodean’s life and the joy that she brought to all of us will be held at her home with those of her family who were closest to her.
In lieu of flowers or other gifts, please consider donating to the Huntsman Cancer Institute (online at https://healthcare.utah.edu/huntsmancancerinstitute/
or to Best Friends Animal Society (online at https://www.bestfriends.org/donate )
Our family wishes to express our deepest gratitude to the staff of the Jordan Valley Cancer Center. We would especially like to thank Dr. Richard Frame whose loving care and friendship we could not have done without, and Dr. Anne Kieryn, whose counsel and cheerleading made Merodean’s journey of life more colorful and meaningful.
Finally, the family would like to thank Community Nursing Services, who provided gentle and compassionate hospice care for Merodean’s last leg of the journey.
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