Deane Charles Gunderson (1918-2010)

GUNDERSON, LIGHTER, ABBOTT, HOOVER, MOORE, CARLSON, SHIMON, MOON, WILLIAMS, VALLETTA, JOHNSTONE

Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 7/12/2010 at 23:16:00

THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Friday, July 2, 2010.

Deane C. Gunderson, 91, died Thursday, July 1, 2010, at Israel Family Hospice House in Ames. Memorial services will be at a later date.

Adams Funeral Home and Cremation Service is assisting the family.

THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Saturday, February 24, 2010.

Deane C. Gunderson, age 91, of Rolfe, died Thursday, July 1, 2010, at the Israel Family Hospice House in Ames.

Deane Charles Gunderson, son of John Christian Gunderson and DeElda (Lighter) Gunderson, was born on Sept. 16, 1918, in Roosevelt Township, Pocahontas County, Iowa. He graduated from Rolfe High School in 1935 and received B.S. degrees in Agricultural Engineering (1939) and Mechanical Engineering (1940) from Iowa State College.

On July 23, 1941, Deane Gunderson and Marion Abbott were married in Ogden, Utah. They resided in Waterloo, Iowa, for nearly four years while Deane worked as an engineer for the John Deere Tractor Company. In 1945, Marion and Deane moved with their three young children to the farm southwest of Rolfe where they continued to live for six decades.

Deane was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, president his senior year and president of the House Corporation for 24 years. He was active in the Republican Party, Community Chest and Lions Club, and a Life Master in the American Contract Bridge League.

Deane was a member of the Shared Ministry of Rolfe. He served on the Board of Directors of the Rolfe State Bank. He was involved in public education for 25 years, having served on the Rolfe Community School District Board of Directors from 1966 to 1981, and as a Director and Treasurer of the Iowa Association of School Boards from 1971 to 1991. He also served on the Board of Governors of the Iowa State University Foundation.

In 1980, Iowa State University awarded Alumni Recognition Medals to Deane and Marion. He was an avid Cyclone fan and in 1975 created an 11 1/2 foot, welded sculpture of Cy that stood at the north end of the ISU football stadium for many years. In 1981, Iowa State named Deane as Cy’s Favorite Alum.

During 1975 to 1977, Deane wrote a weekly column, “Bubbles in the Wine,” for The Rolfe Arrow.

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His interests included farming, education, mathematics, welding, land surveying and farm drainage systems. He specialized in creating larger combinations of farm machinery for increased production per farm worker. He seemed to have friends wherever he went and enjoyed engaging them with his stories. He was proud of his children and delighted in his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a generous person, encouraged others in their endeavors and was noted for pointing out life’s wonders, including Sputnik, the Pythagorean theorem, bean seeds germinating, a fox den in a creek bank and the West Bend Grotto.

Deane was preceded in death by his wife, Marion; his parents; and one son, Christian Gunderson. He is survived by his son, Charles Gunderson and wife, Gloria; daughters Clara Hoover and husband, Harold, Helen Gunderson, Martha Carlson and husband, Michael, Margaret Moore and husband, Jeffrey, and Louise Shimon and husband, William; seven grandchildren: Christina Gunderson, Timothy Gunderson, Kevin Carlson, Joshua Moore, Jonathan Moore, Abigail Shimon and Kathryn (Shimon) Moon; three great-grandchildren: Michael Williams, Addison Valletta and Jackson Johnstone; and several cousins.

A memorial service will be at the Shared Ministry of Rolfe at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 31.

In lieu of flowers, Deane requested contributions be made to the Rolfe Lions Club (P.O. Box 101, Rolfe, IA, 50581).

Adams Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Ames assisted the family with the arrangements.

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