Gordon Elliot SUNNER

SUNNER, HARRIS, GODFREY, DUNLAP, CHAPMAN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/6/2013 at 11:51:55

March 23, 1929 ---- April 13, 2003

Gordon Elliot Sunner, 74, of 810 N. 11th St., Clear Lake, Iowa died Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2003 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa. Memorial services were held Saturday, Aug. 16, 2003 at Zion Lutheran Church, Clear Lake, Iowa with the Rev. Dean Hess officiating. Inurnment was in the Clear Lake Cemetery, Clear Lake, Iowa. Military Honors were by the Clear Lake V.F.W. Family suggest memorials to Hospice of North Iowa or Mercy Cancer Center.

Gordon was born on March 23, 1929, to Carl and Helen (Harris) Sunner in Eagle Grove, Iowa. He was baptized and reaffirmed the faith of his baptism through confirmation at Samuel Lutheran Church in Eagle Grove. He was reared on the family farm northeast of Eagle Grove and attended a rural grade school for the first eight years of his education. He graduated from Eagle Grove High School in 1947 and enlisted in the Army 11th Airborne for three years. After 13 weeks of Infantry Basic Training at Fort Knox, Ky., and eight weeks of Jump School at Fort Benning, Ga. Gordon was assigned to 15 months duty in Camp Crawford, Hokkaido, Japan to aid in the Japan occupation after World War II. After completing his military service, he enrolled in Eagle Grove Junior College for two years. He was united in marriage to Bonnie Godfrey, from Eagle Grove, on June 28, 1953. After their marriage he completed his education at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, graduating with a degree in English in 1956. Gordon and Bonnie then moved to Harlan, Iowa, where he taught high school English for 10 years, before moving to Clear Lake in 1967, for his final tenure in education. He retired in 1992, after 35 years of high school teaching. He enjoyed going back and spending time at the family farm. His hobbies included reading about and visiting U.S. Civil War battlefield sites, working in the yard and observing wildlife. He was a lover of nature, a big fan of the Chicago Bears and a proud member of the Democratic Party.

Gordon is survived by his wife, Bonnie, of Clear Lake; his two daughters, Becky Dunlap and her husband, Gerald, of Greer, S.C. and Gail of Clear Lake; three brothers: his twin brother, Dr. Gerald Sunner and his wife, Shirley, Milford, Iowa; Dr. Kurt Sunner and his wife, Betty, Spirit Lake, Iowa; Dr. Paul Sunner, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; and one sister, Helen Chapman, Las Vegas, Nev., in addition to numerous nephews and nieces. He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Helen in 1974 and 1984, respectively; a brother, Harold, in 1975; and a son, Bret, in 1984.

Clear Lake Mirror Reporter - Iowa
August 2003