Emil Gundersen Sr.

Sand Point resident Emil Gundersen Sr., 89, died April 1, 2007, at Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage.
Visitation will be at 5 p.m. today, with a service at 6 p.m. at Evergreen Memorial Chapel, 737 E St. The Rev. Keith Lauwers will officiate. A second service will be at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Sand Point Baptist Chapel. Pallbearers will include Derek Cabot, David Cabot, Michael Gundersen, Kristoffer Gundersen, Emil Gundersen III and Mark Gundersen. Honorary pallbearers will include Christian Gundersen, Loren Gundersen, James Gundersen, Andrew Gundersen, Tim Quirk Jr., Matthew Nielsen and Robert Nielsen. Burial will be in Sand Point.
Mr. Gundersen was born June 8, 1917, in Sanak. He served during World War II in the Aleutian Campaign. He had worked as a commercial fisherman and owned a net business.
Mr. Gundersen was a board member of Sand Point Baptist Chapel, a member of the American Legion, an Aleut Corp. shareholder and a Qagan Tayagungin tribal member. He had received awards from Youth for Christ. Sand Point Baptist Chapel renamed its hall the "Emil Gundersen Fellowship Hall."
His family said he was a great storyteller.
Hobbies included carpentry, building birdhouses, playing the harmonica, net hanging, cribbage, checkers, pinochle, but above all, his family.
Survivors are his daughters and sons-in-law, Kristin and Gary Ferguson Sr. of Cold Bay, Sharon and Steve Hakala of Sand Point, Diane Wildes of Sand Point, Paula Cabot and Al Hughes of Sand Point, and Susan and David Silver of Anchorage; sons and daughters-in-law, Martin and Julie Gundersen, and Kim and Laiv Gundersen, all of Sand Point; siblings and spouses, Pauline Mann, and Mae and Jack Foster Sr., all of Seattle, Paul and Mary Gundersen of Sand Point, and Chris Gundersen of Anchorage; 28 grandchildren; 37 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Marina Gundersen; son, Emil Gundersen Jr.; great-grandsons, Henry Nielsen Jr., Juan Tommy Cruzaley, and Juan Antonio Cruzaley.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the Emil and Marina Gundersen Scholarship Fund, c/o the Aleut Foundation, 703 W. Tudor Street #102, Anchorage 99503.