Suzanne Thomas, 83, died December 21,2023,at home in Meridianville, Alabama.
Suzanne was born in Connersville, Indiana on June 13, 1940, to Frederick and Frances Bunzendahl. Suzanne was very close to her dad and proud of his accomplishments. She graduated from Connersville Senior High and attended Christian College for Women in Columbia, Missouri.
Her first husband was Captain Jim Hendrickson from Connersville, Indiana. Jim became a Captain for Pan American and Delta. They developed lifelong friendships with fellow pilot families. Suzanne and Jim had three children, Christopher, Amanda and Shane. They loved to travel and one of her most memorable trips was taking all three children to France for the Christmas holidays.
She later married Jon A. Thomas in 2000. They lived in Ft. Lauderdale,FL, St. John U.S. Virgin Islands, and Georgia. Jon died in 2018.
Suzanne was an avid quilter, making over thirty quilts by hand. She was interested in interior design and gardening. She loved flowers and credits her Aunt Shug with inspiring this love and teaching her all about flowers as a child. Suzanne grew partial to orchids. Jon built her three greenhouses over the years where she grew beautiful orchids. She served as member and president of several local garden clubs. During the Atlanta Olympics she was influential in working with the Dept. of Transportation in selecting and planting miles of wild flowers.
She was preceded in death by her parents Frederick N. Bunzendahl and Frances Bentley Bunzendahl; grandparents, Frederick W. Bunzendahl, Hattie Mae Bunzendahl, Elmer Bentley and Minnie Lynn Bentley; sister, Linda Lou Bunzendahl; aunt,Shug Cook; and son in law, Larry Fitzgerald.
Suzanne is survived by her three children, son, Christopher Hendrickson (Hydi) of Meridianville, AL; daughter, Amanda Anne Fitzgerald of Social Circle, GA; son, James Shane Hendrickson of Monroe, GA; brother, Butch Bunzendahl (Sue) of Connersville, IN; sister, Judy House (Steve) of Crawfordsville, IN; nine grandchildren, Allyson Sellers (Levi), April Phelps (Kolton Baker), and Reaganrose Phelps of Meridianville, AL; Kyle Hendrickson (Haley) of Sheridan, WY; Kathleen “Katie” Tondee (Josh) of Americus, GA; Clayton Hendrickson (Marissa) of St. Simons, GA; Scott Fitzgerald (Heiley) of Thomson, GA; Alison Simmons (Hunter) of Covington, GA; Ryan Fitzgerald (Desmond) of Covington, GA; and thirteen great-grandchildren Mila Sellers, Harvey Sellers, Eve Hendrickson, Helen Hendrickson, Abe Hendrickson, Tynor Tondee, Catherine Tondee, Millie Hendrickson, Sawyer Fitzgerald, Maverick Fitzgerald, Sutton Fitzgerald, Sadie Simmons, and Oakleigh Simmons.
A graveside service will be held on February 17th in her hometown of Connersville, IN.
