Susan Bernadette Moon

Susan Bernadette Moon (Tannehill), 61, formerly of La Grande, died June 8 at her home in Horse Heaven, Wash. A memorial service was held today at Prosser Funeral Home.

She was born June 26, 1949, to Don and Charlotte Tannehill in Pendleton. Since her father worked for the railroad, Susan moved throughout Eastern Oregon in her childhood. She graduated from La Grande High School in 1967 and moved to Portland where she studied language arts, elementary education and music at Marylhurst College.

After graduation, Susan took to the road with a group of fellow graduates to hand-deliver resumes to likely schools. This is how she got her first job teaching elementary school in Fossil.

While in Fossil, she met her future husband, Jim Moon, at a dance. They married June 8, 1974, in Portland. She moved from Fossil to the Horse Heaven Hills where her husband's family farmed. Susan liked to recall riding the Roosevelt ferry, one of the last on the lower Columbia, across the river to begin her married life. Susan and Jim had three children: Ryan, Garrett and Devin.

On the farm, Susan gardened, raised animals and became an expert baker, teaching community classes on the subject. She impressed her new father-in-law by taking his newly harvested wheat, grinding it into flour and bringing him fresh cookies in the field hours later.

Susan became an experienced equestrian and started a 4-H club in order to share that knowledge with her and others' children.

Those who knew her say Susan cherished learning and strove to instill an appreciation for it in herself, her children and her students.

She was an accomplished cellist, playing in the Lower Valley Orchestra; a self-taught master knitter; an avid reader; and a writer and poet. A collection of her work was published in 2000 in her book, "The Telling Signs."

Susan worked for several years as a special education teacher at Prosser preschool. She enjoyed scrapbooking and making cards for her friends and family.

Susan battled cancer twice in her life. The first fight ended with a remission and the gift of 20 additional years to raise her sons and enjoy with Jim, her partner and the love of her life.

Susan is survived by her mother, Charlotte Tannehill; and her siblings, Jim and Mary Tannehill, both of Seattle; as well as Jim, her husband of 37 years; and their three sons and spouses; and one granddaughter.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Tri-Cities Chaplaincy or the Tri-Cities Cancer Center Foundation.

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