Daniel Sundgaard

Daniel Joseph Sundgaard, age 67, passed away unexpectedly on December 26, 2025, following a successful day of pheasant hunting alongside his beloved dog, Finn.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Ellsworth Funeral Home, at 3:00PM, Saturday, January 3, 2026. Visitation will be from 1:00PM to 3:00PM.

Dan was born on January 29, 1958, in Sandstone, Minnesota, to Roger and Betty (Behrman) Sundgaard. The family moved to Nelson, Minnesota, in 1969, and Dan graduated from Jefferson High School in Alexandria in 1976. On May 6, 1978, he married his high school sweetheart, Linda, and together they raised their two sons in Burnsville, Minnesota.

A man of many talents, Dan's degrees in construction and electronics from Alexandria Technical College served him well throughout a career that spanned a wide array of disciplines. He worked as a general contractor and home inspector, and spent many years with Northwest Airlines in both avionics electronics and aircraft maintenance. He eventually retired in 2014 as a radio technician for the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office in Golden, Colorado.

Dan was proud of his Norwegian heritage and kept those traditions alive during the holidays. No matter where he lived or traveled, he took great joy in making lefse and always looked forward to attending local Scandinavian lutefisk dinners.

Upon retirement, Dan and Linda embraced the open road, traveling the country in their fifth-wheel toy hauler. While he filled his time with fishing, woodworking, and motorcycle trips, his favorite pursuit was being a grandpa. Dan was a devoted mentor to his nine-year-old grandson and "best buddy," Zac. Their bond was built on shared adventures; Zac spent four years joining Dan and Linda off and on in the RV, and for the last five years, they spent the month of June together at Grandma and Grandpa's house near Lake Madison. These summer days were spent creating lasting memories on the golf course and out on the water.

Dan's passion for pheasant hunting and golf eventually drew him to settle in The Lakes community in Wentworth, South Dakota. He took great pride in being an active part of his neighborhood, often assisting with seasonal farmwork at the Minor family farm.

Dan is survived by his devoted wife, Linda; his sons, Nicholas Sundgaard of Louisville, KY, and Mitchell (Marleen) Sundgaard of Littleton, CO; his grandson and best buddy, Zacarias; and five siblings, Debra (Kurt) Schuetzler, Dwayne Sundgaard, Donovan (Pearl) Sundgaard, Dynelle (David) Stewart, and Darren (Miranda) Sundgaard. He was preceded in death by his parents, Roger and Betty; his brothers, David and Douglas; and his sister, Doreen.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to the Lake County Chapter of Pheasants Forever, or a charity of the donors choice.