Mabel
(Bunyak) Suta, 78, a homemaker from Shelby, died of natural causes Thursday
at a Shelby hospital.
Her funeral is 11 a.m. Monday at St. Luke's Lutheran Church, with burial in
Valley View Cemetery. At her request, the casket will be closed and no
visitation will take place.
Mabel was born Jan. 2, 1931, in Kipling, Saskatchewan, Canada, and was raised in
Oche River, Manitoba, Canada. She came to Sweet Grass in 1951, to visit her
Grandma Bunyak, where she met her future husband, Kalman. Mabel and Kalman Suta
were married on May 10, 1951. They had six children, Joe (Helen) of
Shelby, Theresa (Leonard) LaHaye of Ravalli, twins Donna Hill of Great Falls and
Donald of Great Falls, Mike (Pam) of Cut Bank, and Carl (Deanna) of Conrad; and
brothers, Jim and Leo Bunyak, both of Kamloops, B.C. She had 12 grandkids and
eight great-grandkids. Mabel was happy to have her kids, grandkids and
great-grandkids around her, and it always made her day. She was also very proud
of the fact that she became an American citizen on April 1, 1954. She was
preceded in death by her parents, one sister and one brother.
She was also very proud of the fact that she became an American citizen on April
1, 1954.
Mabel loved to raise flowers, grow a garden, and bake bread and cookies, and was
famous for all of her talents. She was always willing to open the soup line for
everyone. In her younger days, Mabel was always wandering about with crochet
needles and thread in order to make every new design that came out. She supplied
all the Barbie and Ken doll clothes for her daughters, who were so proud of her
handiwork. She also supplied sweaters for them and Granny Square quilts for all
of her children. She did such perfect work that she won blue ribbons at the
Great Falls, Kalispell and Shelby fairs.
Her favorite pastime was to fish at Cameron Lake in the Sweet Grass Hills, and
she enjoyed drives in the Sweet Grass Hills and the Buttes. Every time you saw
her, she would grab her camera and take your picture. She enjoyed the creation
of life. She also was well known for her photos that were viewed over the KRTV
weather broadcast.
She was a member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Shelby. Pastor Joe and his
wife were her best friends, and she always looked to them for words of
encouragement. She never knew a stranger, and would talk to anyone. She said
that she loved people, and we know that she will treasure each and every person
she met. You will always be in her heart. She loved to be prayed for and it
always lifted her spirit. Mabel was happy to have her kids, grandkids and
great-grandkids around her, and it always made her day.
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