Suzanne Sparn Bundy

Suzanne Sparn Bundy was born December 25, 1933 in Denver to Albert and Elsie Sparn. Sue had an idyllic childhood growing up in North Denver, and graduated from North High in 1952. She worked in the Elitch’s box office to pay for her college at the University of Colorado, majoring in math with a teaching certificate. Sue was a pioneer for women in stem, getting her education in a male dominated field.

Sue had a strong spirit of adventure and travel. After college, she took herself to Europe before she started teaching, coming back on the Queen Mary. Sue worked in California as a math teacher, and made the drive between California and Colorado by herself, a choice unusual for women at that time.

Sue taught on a military base in Heilbronn, Germany, for 2 years– traveling throughout Europe every weekend and holiday she could get away. When she returned home, she took a job as a math teacher in the Boulder Valley School District at Nederland Jr/Sr High School. Sue always maintained that “anyone could do well in math if they would just get over the mindset that they can’t do it”.

Sue bought a plot of land from the old homestead property above Jamestown and started building a German-inspired chalet which came to be known as “the cabin”. Her brother Marvin Sparn did the architectural plans and helped put up the basic frame building. The cabin was finished by her and Les one small project at a time.

Sue met her husband Les Bundy working at Nederland, where he taught 6th grade. They were married during a blizzard on December 23, 1965.

Sue taught math for 10 years before deciding to focus on her family. She and Les bought another plot of land, this time in Boulder, and Marvin designed the house. Sue and Les helped the construction crew build the house they would raise their children in and live in for the rest of her life. After it was finished their family began to grow, with Karl (1968), John (1970), and Lisa (1972).

In 1978 her life changed dramatically when Les was ordained an Episcopalian priest. Hesitant at first about the role of being a priest’s wife, in spite of her initial reluctance she embraced the role with dignity and grace, becoming a favorite with parishioners.

Sue and Les traveled throughout Europe with their family in 1979-1980, lived in Scotland for a year and were on the Continent again in the Summer of 1989. Sue enjoyed tagging along to Les’ conferences, taking river cruises and traveling with the family, visiting over 40 countries on every continent except Australia and Antarctica.

In 1991 the Family became Orthodox Christians, Les was Ordained an Orthodox priest and in 1992 they started St. Columba with a handful of converts.

Sue was very dedicated to her family. She loved family traditions and get togethers with the family and extended family. She was always supportive of her three kids, their spouses and her seven grandkids.