Ada Sundahl

Ada Sundahl, 87, died at St. John's Lutheran Nursing Home on Jan. 10, 2004.
Ada was born on March 23, 1916 in Redstone, Mont. and she spent her young life in Plentywood. She later moved with her family to Billings where she finished high school. After high school she attended Miss Wood's College (now a part of Macalaster College) in St. Paul, Minn. where she received her degree in education. After graduation, Ada taught in Circle.
Young children were always an important part of Ada's life, whether it was entertaining her young cousins or serving as a volunteer teacher at Friendship House in Billings for more than 15 years.
Ada was a professional woman for most of her life. She managed the office of her father's furniture factory in Billings. She also worked for many years in the accounting department of Northern Pacific Railroad and then Burlington Northern.
In 1973, she married Clarence Sundahl. They shared a life together until Clarence's death in 1997.
Ada was proud of her Scandinavian heritage and had traveled to Norway and Denmark several times.
Ada also had a great interest in music, especially the piano, and one of her many volunteer projects at St. John's was playing for "sing-a-longs."
If Ada could be described in two words, they would be efficient and caring. Ada's efficient managerial skills and her compassion for others led her to devote much care to the young and elderly in her community and church.
Ada was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence; her parents, KO and Bertha Carlson; her sister, Beryl; her brother, Kermit; and her aunt, Della Stark.
She is survived by her stepson, John Sundahl ( Harriet Hageman) of Cheyenne; her stepdaughter, Carol Sundahl; her nephew, Paul Carlson and John's sons, Charlie and James Sundahl. She will also be especially missed by her cousin, Margit Thorndal and her husband, Bill; and numerous other cousins and friends.
Tributes in her honor may be made to Global Health Ministries or the Friendship House.
Visitation will be from 2 until 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the downtown Smith Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, at American Lutheran Church in Billings. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery.