Remembering Sue Bender, ceramist and author of bestseller about life among the Amish

"Author and artist Sue Bender, whose books explored themes of simplicity, self-discovery, and the sacred in everyday life leading to her being dubbed the Grandma Moses of the simplicity movement by the San Francisco Chronicle, died at 91 on Aug. 3, 2025. She died peacefully, and unexpectedly at Saint Paul's Towers in Oakland where she had developed and was supported by a loving community in addition to her vibrant extended family in Berkeley."

"While most known for her New York Times bestseller Plain and Simple: A Woman's Journey to the Amish, she also had a rich and varied life driven by self-reflection, intense conversation and an artistic aesthetic. Sue was born in 1933 during the Depression in New York City to Jewish immigrants working in a sweatshop. Her family and community ingrained in her that success was defined by professional and financial achievement."

"While pursuing a Master's of Education at Radcliffe, she met and married a young architect living a minimalist lifestyle and passionate about Art and Design, Richard Bender, who later became Dean of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley. This led to a lifelong artistic and stylistic collaboration, each supporting and having input on the other's career s. Despite initial objections from her publisher, Richard did many of the drawings for her books."

Sue Bender died peacefully and unexpectedly at Saint Paul's Towers in Oakland on Aug. 3, 2025, at age 91. Her books explored simplicity, self-discovery, and the sacred in everyday life, and her New York Times bestseller Plain and Simple: A Woman's Journey to the Amish brought wide recognition. She was born in 1933 in New York City to Jewish immigrant parents who worked in a sweatshop. Early pressure to pursue professional and financial success left her feeling empty and searching for passion. She earned a Master's of Education at Radcliffe, married architect Richard Bender, and pursued a life of artistic collaboration and minimalist living.

Read at www.berkeleyside.org