Linda Gunderson

Linda Gunderson was a full participant in life and jumped at every chance to connect with others, solve problems, explore the world, create art, read books, and more. She spent her last active hours at Little Mantrap Lake in northern Minnesota enjoying her recent retirement by pulling up lily pads, talking with neighbors boating by, and laughing uncontrollably as she tried to balance herself and her sister on one paddleboard (there were a few capsizes).

Linda was born in Crookston, MN to Mervin and Lila (Hegg) Gunderson. She spent her childhood in Bejou, MN with her siblings Sandra (Gunderson) Rosewell, Darrell Gunderson, and Marlys (Gunderson) Churchill. Linda was active in Norman Lutheran Church and was close to her paternal grandparents, whose influence she cited in her decision to become a Lutheran pastor. Her love of clothes was evident even as a teenager, as was evidenced by the famous (infamous) hot pants and go-go boots outfit she wore with pride during her senior year in high school. She was lucky to have a teacher who encouraged her interest in art during that time.

As her siblings reflected, who knew a girl from Bejou, MN would do so much? She traveled extensively to Tanzania, Mexico, Germany, Sweden, and more and made multiple road trips across the United States. In recent years, she made an annual trip to Italy, where she created a community of friends, painted, and indulged in homemade pasta and limoncello. Linda raised her daughter to be just as independent as she was and frequently ignored texts or calls from her because she was too busy with a project or a good book. Her artistic streak continued into adulthood, and she dedicated herself to painting the world around her; she started setting up at art shows and teaching others to paint. She fulfilled her dream of owning lake property and was looking forward to building a cabin and filling it to the brim with furniture and d?cor purchased at enormous discounts - we still have no idea how she always managed to find such amazing deals on anything and everything she bought. In her professional career as a Lutheran pastor, she was always striving to improve the churches she led, create a welcoming space, and provide comfort and counsel to those in need.

Her faith and counsel to others helped her family honor Linda and her life when the time came. The stroke she suffered drastically altered her body and brain to ensure she would never move, fully communicate, or live without various medical devices. To Linda, she may have been alive, but she was not living. She joined in the decision to begin hospice care, and two days later, on July 13, 2023, she started her next big adventure.

There is much more that we could share about Linda. She would probably roll her eyes at what we chose to highlight, but she managed to pack a lot of life into her 67 years, and narrowing it down isn't easy.

She is survived by her daughter, Paige Onstad; sisters Sandra and Marlys; brother Darrell; and grandchildren of her heart, William Onstad and Maddie Boysen.

Linda will be buried near her parents at Norman Lutheran Cemetery in Ranum, MN. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Newark, DE on September 9, 2023. An additional memorial gathering in Minnesota has yet to be decided.