Byron D Amundson

Byron Duane Amundson was born December 18, 1924 in Grand Forks, the son of Arthur and Ida (Hanson) Amundson and the grandson of Norwegian immigrants who homesteaded near Northwood, ND. He attended Grand Forks schools and graduated from Central High School in 1942. While in high school, he was proud to be a Grand Forks Herald residential carrier. During his junior year of high school, he realized that his future career would be in funeral service. During his senior year, however, he worked Saturdays for Tweet Food Stores, and, after his high school graduation, worked there full time until August 1942 when G. Lee Anderson, a funeral director, "gave a kid a break" and hired him as a helper in the Hanson- Anderson Mortuary. After nine months passed, Byron was drafted into military service and served in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Warton Air Base in England and Villacoublay Aerodrome in France. After the war, he attended Cleveland (Ohio) College of Mortuary Science. He received his North Dakota license in December 1947, and his Minnesota license in 1952. He worked as a licensed funeral director at Hanson Anderson Mortuary until 1976 when he and his wife, Lorraine created Amundson Funeral Home of Grand Forks. He married Lorraine Staveteig of Grand Forks on April 29, 1959 in Warren, MN, she survives along with; sons, Philip (Shelly) and their children Anna and Greta of Grand Forks, Dr. Roger (Kim) and their children Paul and Scott of Grand Forks, Mark (Julie) and their children, Matthew, Alyssa and Joshua of Grand Forks and Erling (Judy) and their children Andres and Elena of Newport News, Virginia. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister Fern. Byron was a member of United Lutheran Church and was announcer for the church radio broadcasts for decades. He served as Noble Grand of the Banner Lodge of Odd Fellows. He was a member of American Legion Post 6, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1874 and the Sons of Norway Lodge. He was also a member of the National Funeral Directors Association and served as President of the North Dakota Funeral Directors Association in 1970.