Samuel SUNWALL

SUNWALL, BARSNESS, NELSON, GRANDE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 10/4/2006 at 23:29:18

Samuel Sunwall, 76, a longtime Conrad-area farmer, activist for the developmentally disabled and WWII Army veteran, died Wednesday of a brain tumor at a Great Falls care facility. Visitation is 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at O'Connor Funeral Home his funeral is 10:30 a.m. Monday at Triumph Lutheran Brethren Church with burial at 3 p.m. in Golden West Cemetery in East Conrad. He is survived by his wife, Doris Ann Sunwall of Great Falls daughters Marie Barsness of Kirkland, Wash., and Maureen Nelson and Doren Sunwall, both of Great Falls sons Darrell Sunwall of Portland, Ore., Ronald Sunwall of Fontana, Calif., and Arden Sunwall and Rolfe Sunwall, both of Great Falls sisters Elvina Sunwall and Mildred Sunwall, both of Billings brothers Aril Sunwall of Sidney and Lief Sunwall of Fergus Falls, Minn. and 16 grandchildren. Additional survivors include Arden's wife, Martha, and their children Krista, Carrie, Katherine and David Marie's husband, Roy, and their children Jonathan and Jordan Darrell's wife, Barb, and their children Heather and Dustin Rolfe's wife, Lillian, and their children Trisha and Caleb Maureen's husband, Curt, and their children Paige, Kyle, Jamie and Kendra and Ron's wife, Lynn, and their children Deron and Annelise.

Sam was born June 25, 1926 in Homestead. He was the 11th of 12 children born to Norwegian immigrant parents Anders and Margrethe (Grande) Sunwall. His childhood was spent on the family farm near Froid. Upon graduation from Froid High School in 1944, he entered the Army and served in the Asiatic Pacific with the occupational forces in Korea until his discharge in 1946. He worked on the family farm during the summers until he graduated from the Lutheran Brethren Bible School in Fergus Falls, Minn., in 1948. Following graduation, Sam worked on various construction projects on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in Dunsieth, N.D., where he met his wife, Doris Ann Stole. They were married Sept. 19, 1950, in Holmes, Iowa. After attending Seattle Pacific University for one year, Sam and Doris moved to Conrad where he farmed, working at a grain elevator for one year, and later at the Farmers State Bank. In 1961, he started farming east of Conrad. From 1964 until 1969, they lived in Dutton, and Sam served as the vice president and manager of the Dutton State Bank. In 1969, they moved back to Conrad, and resumed farming full time. He also served as credit manager at Intercontinental Truck Body for one year. In 1984, they moved to a ranch southeast of Great Falls on the Missouri River until their retirement from farming in 1987. They then moved to Great Falls and were resident assistant managers for over seven years at Austin Hall for the Great Falls Housing Authority. Sam was involved with the communities where he lived. He served on a nine-county regional council for the developmentally disabled. He was appointed by former Gov. Tom Judge to serve on the state board for the developmentally disabled. He was a leader in lobbying the Legislature to de-institutionalize the developmentally disabled children in Boulder and Warm Springs in order to let them live with their families and attend special education classes in local schools. His love and close relationship with his daughter, Doreen, was his inspiration in this effort. In Conrad, he served on the Horizon Lodge and Pondera Medical Center boards. In Dutton, he was a member of the Lion's Club, and helped raise money for the swimming pool complex. In all areas of his life, Sam was a Christian. Sam was brought to the Lord in Christian Baptism on Aug. 23, 1926, by his parents. He was encouraged in his walk with the Lord. Sam was a member of the Conrad Mission Church while he served faithfully as Sunday School Superintendent and Church Treasurer. He was a charter member of Triumph Lutheran Brethren Church and served as church treasurer there. Sam suffered two strokes, paralysis on his right side, two hip surgeries, and at the end, a brain tumor. His Lord Jesus Christ was sufficient and to that, he rejoices.
Memorials are suggested to the Triumph Lutheran Brethren Church, Solid Rock Bible Church or the Lutheran Brethren World Missions-Africa.

Great Falls Tribune (MT)
October 25, 2002