Barbara J. Gildersleeve-Bunch

April 28, 1952 – September 20, 2022

Barbara Barbie was born April 28, 1952, to Murray and Elaine Gildersleeve in Tillamook, Oregon. At a very early age, her family moved to Alaska, eventually establishing Gildersleeve Logging Co., a floating logging camp that was moved for decades to various locations on Prince of Wales Island. In high school, Barbara attended boarding school in Washington. In college, she attended the University of Alaska Fairbanks, Walla Walla Community College, and what is now Walla Walla University.

In life's work, she was a pharmaceutical rep, a factory rep for ADA plumbing products in the south and southwest, and an active partner in Erickson Supply (Portland, OR) and Plumbing Parts & Supply (Boise, ID).

She was an exceptional wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend. She loved cooking and baking for groups of 2 to 200.

Barbara loved flying whether in the left seat or right seat. She even earned her student pilot's license before she could legally drive a car.

Barbara was a music enthusiast who sang, played guitar, and at one time, earned her living as a vocal performer in Alaska. She attended several concerts featuring her favorite singer, Emmylou Harris.

She loved the island of Maui and especially boating trips with Kai Kanani- a catamaran offering excursion services once owned by her brother, Roger, now run by her niece Maria Taylor. She explored the ocean on many occasions, sharing that love with her children.

She spent the first hour of every day in Bible reading, devotions, and prayer. She was preceded in joining her Lord and Savior by her parents, brothers Ronald and Roger, daughter-in-law Angela Darnell, special cousin Julie Burden, in-laws Bill J. and Mae Fern Bunch, and beloved friends Barney Beer and Georgine Ross (Beer).

Barbara is survived by her husband, Billy Wayne Bunch of Yuma, AZ, children; Melissa Darnell (Dave) of Shasta, CA, son Levi Darnell of Oregon City, OR, Kaysha Woodard of Blaine, WA, and step-daughter Julie Brunson and family of Medford, OR; grandchildren: firstborn William (Billy) and Kakenna Woodard, Emillie Darnell, and Carter Darnell Keltner; brother Richard (Marilyn) of Wrangell, AK, sister Susan Gildersleeve of Republic, WA; sisters-in-law Cheryl Toole (Brett) and Brenda Downes (Bill); brothers-in-law Eugene Bunch, and Bryan Bunch (Eva); special aunt Bessie Luther, close cousins: Helen Steed, Kathy O'Bryan, Keaton Gildersleeve; lifelong friend Carolyn Moore, Jack Gleason (Jan), Bill Moravics, and Yuma friends; Don Emerick and Barbara Gibson, Sue ElliottBrewster, and our much-loved adopted Luna Family Mario, Rene, Daniel, Jocelyn, Selene, and Marissa.

The largest thanks to sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Brenda Downes and Bryan Bunch. Brenda became to her a precious sister and best friend traveling often sometimes twice weekly to assist in care and be by her side. Bryan also traveled hundreds of miles round-trip to offer love and support, as well. Thanks to all of our former customers who then became friends. Special thanks to Hospice of Yuma for their loving care.

A memorial service announcement will be forthcoming. Please sign the guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/yumasun

129 dead after fans stampede to exit Indonesian soccer match

MALANG, Indonesia – Panic at an Indonesian soccer match after police fired tear gas to stop brawls left 129 dead, mostly trampled to death, police said Sunday.

Several fights between supporters of the two rival soccer teams were reported inside the Kanjuruhan Stadium in East Java province’s Malang city after the Indonesian Premier League game ended with Persebaya Surabaya beating Arema Malang 3-2.

The brawls that broke out just after the game ended late night Saturday prompted riot police to fire tear gas, which caused panic among supporters, said East Java Police Chief Nico Afinta.

Hundreds of people ran to an exit gate in an effort to avoid the tear gas. Some suffocated in the chaos and others were trampled, killing 34 almost instantly.

More than 300 were rushed to nearby hospitals to treat injuries but many died on the way and during a treatment, Afinta said.

Florida deaths rise to 47 amid struggle to recover from Ian

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Rescuers evacuated stunned survivors on a large barrier island cut off by Hurricane Ian and Florida’s death toll climbed sharply, as hundreds of thousands of people were still sweltering without power days after the monster storm rampaged from the state’s southwestern coast up to the Carolinas.

Florida, with nearly four dozen reported dead, was hit hardest by the Category 4 hurricane, one of the strongest to make landfall in the United States. Flooded roadways and washedout bridges to barrier islands left many people isolated, amid limited cellphone service and a lack of basic amenities such as water, electricity and the internet.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Saturday that multibillionaire businessman Elon Musk was providing some 120 Starlink satellites to “help bridge some of the communication issues.” Starlink, a satellite-based internet system created by Musk’s SpaceX, will provide high-speed connectivity.

Florida utilities were working to restore power. As of Saturday night, nearly 1 million homes and businesses were still without electricity, down from a peak of 2.67 million.

At least 54 people were confirmed dead: 47 in Florida, four in North Carolina and three in Cuba.

More than 1,000 people were rescued from flooded areas along Florida’s southwestern coast alone, Daniel Hokanson, a four-star general and head of the National Guard, told The Associated Press while airborne to Florida.

In Washington, the White House announced that President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden would travel to Florida on Wednesday.

Russia withdraws troops after Ukraine encircles key city

KYIV, Ukraine – After being encircled by Ukrainian forces, Russia pulled troops out Saturday from an eastern Ukrainian city that it had been using as a frontline hub. It was the latest victory for the Ukrainian counteroffensive that has humiliated and angered the Kremlin.

Russia’s withdrawal from Lyman complicates its internationally vilified declaration just a day earlier that it had annexed four regions of Ukraine – an area that includes Lyman. Taking the city paves the way for Ukrainian troops to potentially push further into land that Moscow now illegally claims as its own.

“The Ukrainian flag is already in Lyman, Donetsk region. Fighting is still going on there. But there is no trace of any pseudo-referendum there,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address Saturday.

He was referring to “referendums” that Russia held at gunpoint in the four regions before annexing them – Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

The fighting comes at a pivotal moment in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war. Facing Ukrainian gains on the battlefield – which he frames as a U.S.-orchestrated effort to destroy Russia – Putin this week heightened threats of nuclear force and used his most aggressive, anti-Western rhetoric to date.

Russia blindfolds, detains Ukraine nuclear plant chief

KYIV, Ukraine – Russian forces blindfolded and detained the head of Europe’s largest nuclear plant, Ukraine’s nuclear power provider said Saturday, reigniting long-simmering fears over the plant’s security.

The alleged kidnapping on Friday apparently took place shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin escalated his war in Ukraine and pushed it into a new, dangerous phase by annexing four Ukrainian regions that Moscow fully or partially controls and heightening threats of nuclear force.

In a possible attempt to secure Moscow’s hold on the newly annexed territory, Russian forces seized the director-general of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Ihor Murashov, around 4 p.m. Friday, the Ukrainian state nuclear company Energoatom said.

Putin on Friday signed treaties to absorb the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine, including the area around the nuclear plant.

Energoatom said Russian troops stopped Murashov’s car, blindfolded him and then took him to an undisclosed location.

Venezuela swaps 7 jailed Americans for Maduro relatives

WASHINGTON – In a rare softening of hostile relations, Venezuela freed on Saturday seven imprisoned Americans in exchange for the United States releasing two nephews of President Nicolás Maduro’s wife who had been jailed for years on narcotics convictions.

The swap of the Americans, including five oil executives held for nearly five years, follows months of back channel diplomacy by senior U.S. officials – secretive talks with a major oil producer that took on greater urgency after sanctions on Russia put pressure on global energy prices.

The deal amounts to an unusual gesture of goodwill by Maduro as the socialist leader looks to rebuild relations with the U.S. after vanquishing most of his domestic opponents. While the White House denied any change in policy toward Venezuela is afoot, the freeing of Americans could create political space for the Biden administration to ease crippling oil sanctions on Venezuela if Maduro shows progress in on-again, off-again talks with his opponents.

“I can’t believe it,” Cristina Vadell, the daughter of Tomeu Vadell, one of the freed Americans, told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Holding back tears of joy on her 31st birthday, she said: “This is the best birthday present ever. I’m just so happy.”

Jimmy Carter celebrating 98 with family, friends, baseball

ATLANTA — Jimmy Carter, already the longest-living U.S. president in history, turned 98 on Saturday, celebrating with family and friends in Plains, the tiny Georgia town where he and his wife, 95-year-old Rosalynn, were born in the years between World War I and the Great Depression.

His latest milestone came as The Carter Center, which the 39th president and the former first lady established after their one White House term, marked 40 years of promoting democracy and conflict resolution, monitoring elections, and advancing public health in the developing world.

Jason Carter, the former president’s grandson now leading the Carter Center board, described his grandfather, an outspoken Christian, as content with his life and legacy.