Henry Ernest Gundling

Henry Ernest Gundling

Dec. 10, 1931 - Sep. 12, 2022

Henry Ernest Gundling was born on December 10, 1931 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He grew up in a family of German immigrants, including a grandfather who had run a German-language newspaper until WWI. Tragedy struck early in Henry's life as his mother Katherine died when he was nine years old. In addition to his father, others in his life, including his grandmother and his beloved Uncle Otto and cousin Arlene, stepped in to provide love and support.

In his early teens, Henry was sent to St. John's Military Academy in Wisconsin. There he met other young men who were to become lifelong friends, and would later vividly describe the winter cold and marching in the snow. At the age of 16, Henry attended the Interlaken Music Camp in Michigan, a training venue for young musicians from throughout the United States where he played the cello. There he met a young woman in the cello section named Marie who introduced him to her identical twin sister Dorothy, a violinist. Henry and Dorothy were drawn to each other immediately, and even though Dorothy lived far away in Sacramento, California, they continued to stay in contact. Henry decided to move west to attend Stanford University after finishing high school at St. John's. He and Dorothy were married on June 14, 1953, just after their graduation.

Henry had been in the ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) while at Stanford, and he then served as an intelligence officer and wilderness survival trainer in the U.S. Air Force. After leaving the Air Force, Henry attended Stanford Business School for a time, but his savings quickly evaporated with the expenses of a growing family, and so he decided to leave school and go to work as an investment advisor.

For the next several decades, from the late 1950s through the 1990s, Henry and Dorothy lived in Napa and raised their children in local schools. Henry and Dorothy had three children: Ernest, Henry Jr., and Katherine. Henry contributed to the community in various ways, including a term as Napa County Grand Jury foreman. Dorothy was concertmaster of the Napa Symphony and a local music teacher who founded several of Napa County's major music programs. Both she and Henry played regularly in the Napa Symphony and later the Mendocino Music Festival.

After retiring from PaineWebber, the investment business, Henry accepted the role of president of the Napa County Land Trust, which has been successful in preserving many family properties in the Napa area as open space free from development. Henry was also appointed to serve on the Mendocino County Board of Forestry. In 1997, Henry and a very mixed group of concerned citizens – a sawmill owner, a university extension educator, foresters, forest restorationists, radical environmentalists, and others – met in his ranch living room to form the Redwood Forest Foundation. The organization's goal was to buy cut-over forestlands and restore them through sustainable forestry practices, ensuring healthy wildlife habitat while providing benefits to rural economies. Through Henry's business acumen and skill at bringing together people from different backgrounds, he helped gather expertise and financing for the foundation to purchase and manage more than 50,000 acres of forest.

Henry and Dorothy looked forward to an enjoyable retired life in the Anderson Valley and in Napa, but tragedy struck again with Dorothy's untimely death in 1998. Henry later had the good fortune to meet Heidi Knott, an environmental filmmaker who was traveling in California to interview environmental activists. Henry sold the family home in Napa and moved full-time to Mendocino County, where he and Heidi were married and made a home for themselves at the ranch, continuing their conservation activities together.

Henry was particularly beloved by his family and friends for his generosity and sense of humor. There was rarely a dull moment when Henry was in his prime. Henry shared his tremendous love for the outdoors with everyone he met. Even after he became incapacitated toward the end of his life and lost his ability to travel and fish, Henry continued to be genial, appreciative, and welcoming to guests. He often said, "I've had a great life." He is survived by his three children, their spouses Karen, Mary, and Bob, and his wife, Heidi, along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Those who wish to make a donation in his name are encouraged to donate to the Redwood Forest Foundation (rffi.org) or to Sustainable Harvest International (sustainableharvest.org), a non-profit on whose board Henry's daughter Katherine serves.