PATRICIA JOAN BUNCE

Patricia Joan Bunce passed away peacefully, at the age of 94, at her home in Roseville, California on May 4. Born Jan. 27, 1929, in Cadillac, Michigan, to Clyde and Helen Herman, the family often moved as her father was the Michigan Road Commissioner.

Her professional singing career began at 15 when she became the vocalist in her older brother, Bob’s, big band in Kalamazoo. Known as “The Song Bird,” Pat would go on to perform with a number of Michigan big bands in the 1940s.

In 1951 she received a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Michigan. After graduation, Pat was hired as the first, full-time music teacher for the Pigeon (MI) Public Schools, where she developed a highly successful choral program, even convincing football players to join the choir. Pat met her husband, Clayton Bunce, while teaching in Pigeon and the two were married in 1952.

In 1960, the Bunces moved to Alpena, Michigan, when Clayton was hired as a math teacher at Alpena Senior High. Pat served as the elementary music teacher in a number of Alpena’s city and county elementary schools, and later for 25 years as the choir teacher at Thunder Bay Junior High. During her tenure at TBJH, she built a large, successful music program producing numerous choral concerts and two musicals a year.

In 1989, Pat and Clayton retired and moved to Hemet, California., where they sang in the church choir and played in the community orchestra and band. Clayton passed away in Hemet in 2001 and following his death, Pat moved to Roseville, California., to be closer to family.

Her life was full of many joys and fulfilling events, including singing solos at church into her 90s! Having her family with her in her golden years was one such joy. Pat touched many lives, and she is remembered fondly and profoundly by those she taught and influenced throughout her many years of teaching and performing.

She is survived by Mark (Tina) of Bowling Green, Ohio; Lynne (Richard), Paul and Polly of Roseville, California.; granddaughter Jessica (Jeff) Sanford of Roseville and Pat’s greatest gift of all — her two great-granddaughters, Madelyn and Morgan.