Obituary of Florene Kunder

Florene Kunder passed away on April 10, 2023. She was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on July 17, 1934, to George Buford Forrester and Winifred Roberts, the eldest of three children.

Florene graduated from Monahans High School in Monahans, Texas, in 1952. She earned her Bachelors in Language Arts from California State University, Chico, in 1956, after which she joined the U.S. Navy Reserves for officer training in Newport, Rhode Island.

She completed officer training, but instead of entering active duty, in 1958 she married LaVerne G. “Vern” Poetker in Chico, California. Together they moved to Sacramento where, in 1962, her daughter Valerie was born. In 1970, Florene took a job as a guidance counselor at California State University, Sacramento. She and Vern divorced in 1971.

In 1980, Florene married Homer Clayton “Clay” Kunder and they moved to Fort Bragg, California, to manage the Pine Beach Inn. They returned to Sacramento in 1984 to manage the Sacramento Yacht Club. In 1990, Florene took a position as a librarian at SACOG (Sacramento Area Council of Governments), where she remained until her retirement in 2005. Clay passed away in 2012.

In 2014, Florene moved to Olympia, Washington, to be closer to her daughter. She resided at Affinity from 2014 to 2016; The Firs from 2016 to 2018; Revel Lacey from 2018 to 2022; and Garden Courte Memory Care from 2022 to 2023. She spent her final few days at Lidia’s Adult Family Home.

Florene was well suited as a librarian because she possessed the “research gene.” She loved the computer and was an avid genealogist and member of Clan Forrester Society. She also loved cats, photography, art, good food and wine, and the California coast. She and Clay fondly anticipated their vacation trips to Mendocino every spring and fall.

Florene was preceded in death by her brother, Forbes; husband, Clay; and sister, Florence. She is survived by her daughter, Valerie; stepson, Bill; granddaughter, Jamie’ and great-grandson, Wylee.

A memorial video honoring Florene’s life can be viewed HERE. 

Clay’s memorial video is available HERE. 

The family requests that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to a GoFundMe page for the restoration of Torwood Castle by clicking HERE.  Florene felt a deep connection to her Scottish heritage, and Torwood Castle was once the seat of the honorable Forrester Clan. One hundred percent of donations go to the castle - nothing is taken out for staff, fees, or hidden charges.

Please leave condolences or share memories and photos on the Tribute Wall to the left.

 

 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Florene Kunder, please visit Tribute Store