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Adding Sunshine to Quincy

Tammara Green/writer@qvpr.com
May 19, 2011

Sunshine Didra

Sunshine Didra came from the Okanogan Valley to Quincy in 1996 with her husband Rick, and their three boys, Victor, Ricky and Thomas. In Brewster, she was a stay-at-home mom while her husband was an orchard manager. She was involved in Cub Scouts and helped her husband in the orchard. The family made the move when her husband, Rick, was offered a job as an orchard manager outside of Quincy.

“When we came here, I was so lonesome for the mountains and the pine trees,” recalled Didra, who had grown up in Omak. After spending the first summer in Quincy helping in the orchard, Didra and her sister, Joyce Edie of Mattawa, had an opportunity to buy Almira/Coulee/Hartline’s newspaper, the “News & Standard.” The sisters worked on the paper for two years and sold it in the fall of 1998.

“It was a ton of fun, but we couldn’t commute through the winter snow and ice storms and dense fog anymore. It was a really scary drive sometimes,” said Didra.

Didra said she was bored after the fun of owning a newspaper. During the summer of 1999, Joyce suggested that she go talk to Rosemary Cassel at the Post-Register. Didra was hired on to help with the office supply store with Anne Durfee. Shortly thereafter, she was asked to help with the front desk, then help proofread, and eventually her job included keeping track of the subscriptions and helping to sell ads. Within a couple of years, Didra was heavily involved in the newspaper business.

“Working at the Post-Register was one of the best things that happened to me. You get to meet the people of the town. Working at the newspaper, which is the heart of the town, you can’t help falling in love with it,” said Didra.

Didra and Rick, her husband of 39 years, enjoy their sons, their two daughters-in-law, and a third daughter-in-law who will be joining their family soon. She and her husband absolutely love being grandparents to their 2-year-old grandson, Brock. They also enjoy being around Rick’s parents, who live outside of George.

Didra is a member of the Quincy Valley Lions, which she joined at the invitation of her co-worker and friend, Anne Durfee.

“I had never been in a club before, and I was scared to death, but the other Lions were so kind and gave me so much encouragement. No matter what I do for the Lions, the Lions have given me more than I could ever give back,” said Didra.

On a whim, Didra also joined the Farmer-Consumer Awareness Day Committee, and she admits that it doesn’t get any more fun than helping the town put on their festival. When Didra has a quiet moment, she enjoys reading or gardening. She is most impressed with the number of people who volunteer in Quincy. “I have never been around such a caring community,” said Didra.