Mary Sue Boucher

Mary Sue (Dunn) Boucher, 85, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Friday, February 11, 2022, at her home in Denver, Colorado.  Sue, as she was known to so many, or “Nana”, as she was affectionately known to her grandsons and great-granddaughter, was the youngest of two children born to Paul and Julia Dunn, of Denver, CO.  Renown for her fun-loving spirit and wonderful sense of humor, Sue was a great conversationalist who always made you feel like the most important person in a room.  She was a nurturing and selfless mother and devoted wife.  Among her many cousins, second cousins, nieces and nephews, she was frequently noted to be the family favorite.  Most of all, she was adored by her grandsons, whom she cared for from the time they were infants.

Born in Denver in 1936, Sue attended St. John’s Catholic Elementary School (now known as Good Shepard) along with her many cousins, and then onto St. Mary’s Academy high school, where she met many lifelong friends.  After high school, Sue followed in her mother’s footsteps attending Our Lady of Loretto College (Denver), where she graduated with a degree in education in 1958.   Upon graduation, she and a few of her classmates decided to embark on an adventure to teach at an elementary school in Imperial Beach, CA, near where her brother, Paul Dunn, Jr., was stationed at the US Naval Base, Coronado, CA.  She resumed her teaching career after raising her children, frequently serving as a substitute teacher for Denver Public Schools.

In 1959, Sue met the love of her life, Tom Boucher, who was also a Naval Officer stationed in Coronado, CA.  As Tom recounts, they met at a Mexican restaurant/piano bar that Sue frequented because she loved a good sing-along.  One of Sue’s roommates gave Tom the phone number to the home they all shared, hoping he would ask her out.  After a few awkward calls with her roommates, Tom was finally able to ask Sue out.  They quickly fell in love and knew they would be life-long soulmates.  Their courtship was interrupted by the tragic death of Sue’s brother, Paul, who died in a flight-training exercise in San Diego Bay in spring 1960.  Tom joined Sue back in Denver for the funeral service, where he was heartily welcomed by the Dunn clan.   Sue and Tom were married the following August.  A year later, little Paul was born, followed by little Betsy in 1963.  When Paul and Betsy were still very young, Sue’s father passed away, leaving her mother a widow at a young 62.  Sue consoled, entertained, and selflessly cared for her mother for 23 years, until her passing in 1992.

During their 61 years of marriage, Tom and Sue enjoyed many family cross-country driving vacations, mostly with favorite trips to visit Tom’s family in New England.  In their silver years, Tom and Sue also enjoyed several riverboat cruises.  Sue was a consummate gardener, spending many hours cultivating her “English Gardens” that graced her front and back yards for decades.  In spring, summer and fall months, she was frequently seen offering a bouquet of freshly harvested flowers from her gardens to friends and relatives.  With Tom’s willing assistance, Sue provided day care in the early years for grandsons Ryan (1996) and Kevin (1999).  She drew on her years of teaching experience giving the boys a leg-up on future classmates, by making sure they knew their ABCs and could count to 10 before entering pre-school.  In 1967, Tom and Sue became founding members of the Church of the Risen Christ Catholic Parish, which served as the center of their Catholic community and spawned innumerable friendships over 50+ years.

In 2014, Sue was officially diagnosed with Scleroderma, thus explaining the numbness and poor circulation that had plagued her for many years.  She gallantly battled the disease, rarely complaining, even when confined to bed her final 2½ years.  What else would we expect from someone who never said an unkind word about anyone, and whose dying prayer was, “through her illness, may the Lord make her mindful of others, generous and loyal, and for there not to be an occasion of uncharitableness”?  A beautiful example of how God calls us to live our lives.

Sue leaves behind her husband, Tom Boucher, her son, Paul Boucher, her daughter, Betsy (Michael) Tapp, grandsons, Ryan (Katherine) and Kevin Tapp, and great-granddaughter, Charlotte Tapp.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Julia and Paul Dunn, Sr. and her brother Paul Dunn, Jr.

All are invited to honor Sue’s memory at a Recitation of the Rosary beginning promptly at 7:00 PM, Thursday, February 17, 2022, at Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 1091 South Colorado Boulevard, Denver, CO.  Reflections from family and friends are welcome following the Rosary.

Sue’s life will be celebrated at a Funeral Mass on Friday, February 18th, at 10:00 AM, at Church of the Risen Christ, 3060 South Monaco Parkway, Denver, CO.  A reception will follow at the adjacent Parish Center.

A private committal and interment service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Sue’s honor to The Scleroderma Foundation or your favorite charity.