Marjorie Mae (Whitman) GUNDERSON

GUNDERSON, ECKERSLEY, WHITMAN, WISE, HARRELL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 10/10/2015 at 00:46:52

March 16, 1919 ------ October 5, 2015

Marjorie Mae Gunderson, age 96 of Norman, OK, passed away Monday, October 5, 2015 at Cedar Creek Living Center in Norman.

Born March 16, 1919 in Clarion, IA, she was the daughter of the late Jess and Cora Eckersley Whitman. Margie ventured, along with three girlfriends, from their small town in Iowa to Long Beach, CA. During WWII they began working at Douglas Aircraft. She was a “Rosie the Riveter,” helping to make the airplanes needed for the War effort. She married Lawrence Richard Gunderson on May 4, 1945. He was a Master Sergeant in the Marine Corp. After moving back to Belmond, IA, Larry was recalled into the Marine Corp during the Korean conflict, so they moved once again to Long Beach where they lived most of their lives.

Marge was a stay-at-home home serving as a Homeroom Mom and in any other needed position for her children’s school. Marge was very involved in Jim and Susan’s education growing up. She was known for her delicious meals and warm hospitality. She loved to entertain. Detailed menus were always written down to and including the relish tray. A favorite treat was making barbecue hamburgers; the family would pile into the car the end of a day and picnic on Seal Beach. Mom & Dad always wanted to go grunion hunting. Grunion is a small sardine like fish that makes its trek onto the sandy shore to lay its eggs, and then go back out to sea. When the grunion are running you can pick them up by hand and then take them home and cook them up. We always went out to hunt for grunion, but would spend the night freezing around the cold wet pacific air, waiting for the stupid fish to come ashore, which of course, they never did!

When grandchildren came along she played games with them, sang with them, and especially loved the game of “Low Roll.” They all have many memories of playing with Margie. She chose to be called “Margie” by the grandchildren. She signed every birthday card with, “Jesus loves you and so do I.”

She loved the Lord and became a Christian in her 50s. She attended Sunday School and church, Bible studies, and always listened to Charles Stanley on TV. She was very involved with Calvary Baptist Church here in Joplin from 1997 through 2001. She attended the Sunshiner’s Bible Study and had her little group of friends. Her relationship with the Lord grew during that time. She read her Bible daily, and prayed for each of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren every day, until the time came when she could not read anymore. But that didn’t keep her from continuing to Pray for them.

Margie was fun, outgoing, gregarious, and loved her family. In the later years she began to talk about and really missed her seven brothers and sisters. She did not have much in the form of worldly goods, but she was rich because of her relationship with the Lord. Marge was content with whatever she had. After moving to Cedar Creek Nursing Center in Norman, Marge witnessed to everyone who cared for her and especially to her roommate. They prayed together and told each other “I love you”, before retiring.

Her husband, Lawrence R. Gunderson preceded her in death on February 9, 1998. Survivors include a daughter, Susan Wise and husband Paul of Norman Oklahoma; a son, James Gunderson and wife, Vicky of Kingwood, TX; no surviving siblings; grandchildren, David Wise and wife Krista of Austin TX, Amy Harrell and husband Christopher of Bethany OK, Bryan Gunderson and wife Jerrie of Kingwood, TX and Taylor Gunderson of Houston, TX; great-grandchildren include Hannah Harrell, Payton Harrell, Woods Harrell, Tave Wise, Chapman Wise, Tucker Wise, and yet to be born, James Ernest Gunderson.

Graveside services will be held 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, October 7, 2015 at Osborne Memorial Cemetery with Dr. Phillip McClendon officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Parker Mortuary. Osborne Memorial Cemetery, 3301 S McClelland Blvd., Joplin, Missouri.