George A. Gunderson

***Click the link below to view George's prayer service***

https://youtu.be/NZ77iFBHOhU

George Allen Gunderson, age 94, of rural Buxton, ND, peacefully went to his heavenly home early Monday, March 13, 2023 with his wife at his side.

George was born at the family home near Buxton on May 29, 1928 to George B. and Eliza (Braaten) Gunderson, the first of five children.  He was baptized and raised in the Lutheran faith and graduated from Buxton Public School in 1947. 

George lived a very full life farming grains and potatoes on the family farm homesteaded in 1884.  His “temporary” job filling in as a rural mail carrier, driving 130 miles each day, lasted over 18 years. 

In addition, he enjoyed old Allis Chalmers tractors and acquired nine of them, a 1946 fuel delivery truck, and jointly owned the first Stavanger township firetruck.  Some “toys” were driven in parades, but eventually, all were sold and scholarships set up in his name at Central Valley School, Buxton.  Even with farming, maintenance, and yardwork, George found time for bowling, golfing, coaching softball, riding snowmobile with the Norski Club, owning season tickets to all UND sports, and singing with the Valley Chordsmen Barbershop chorus and the Inspirations gospel choir and several church choirs.

George’s faith in God was nurtured at Grue Lutheran Church and serving his God included decades as president of the congregation and treasurer of the Cemetery Association, and yes, the choir.  He and his mother Eliza were treasured by all who knew them.  When she passed away in 1999 George continued sharecropping with his boyhood friend and neighbor Mike Breiland, singing barbershop with Mike and another boyhood friend, Sterling Ingwalson, attending sporting events, and enjoying the time singing with the Inspirations.

Then God sent him a bride! He married Eileen (Stortroen) Vanderhoof June 4, 2000 and got an instant extended family with her three daughters; KariAnne, KristaLynn, and KonniJo and their spouses and children.  Winters were spent in Mesa, AZ and many travels and adventures ensued, including golfing, hiking, and another church choir!  George and Eileen were blessed with a trip to Norway to his ancestral home in Stavanger, to the church where Eliza was baptized, to Grue’s sister church, all by car after leaving the ten-day tour.

George is survived by his wife of 22 years, Eileen; sister Carole Eide of Grand Forks; sister-in-law Jeanette Olson of Grand Forks; sister-in-law Janice (Robert) Tjon of Twin Valley, MN; brother-in-law Larry Stortroen of Climax, MN; sister-in-law Doreen (Sherman) Stortroen of Grand Forks; nephew Michael Zelinski of Homer, AK; nieces Cindi (Jack) Carlson of Brainerd, MN, Joan Peterson of Brainerd, MN, and Sandra (Tim) Christian of Grand Forks; Eileen’s daughters, sons-in-law, and nine grandchildren; several grandnieces and grandnephews; and 3 great-grandnephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister Miriam and brother-in-law Jack Zelinski; sister Eileen and brother-in-law Garvin Anderson; brother Richard Gunderson; brother-in-law Allen Eide; and niece Janna (Jim) Anderson.

As a kind and humble gentleman, George’s whole life and music witnessed to God’s grace.  Blessed are our memories.

Visitation will be at Amundson Funeral Home on Thursday, March 16, 2023 from 5:00-7:00pm with a prayer service at 6:30pm.  A memorial service and burial in June will be at George’s beloved Grue Lutheran Church, rural Buxton.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Grue Cemetery Association or the Grue Church Project, which is the current restoration of the 132 year old building that is to be completed in 2025 and used as a cultural, historical, and spiritual center.