Annabell Gunderson

Annabell Gunderson, longtime resident, was born September 19, 1920, in Napa and died December 14, 2007, at the age of 87, after a courageous fight against an unidentified illness.

Annabell spent the first five years of her life in Napa, then moved with her family to the Lake County area, where her family was in the resort business.

In 1933 her family moved to the Sherwood Valley residing at the Octagon house. The family enjoyed ranching and horticulture, growing some of the first lavender plants in the United States.

She attended Sherwood Valley School through the eighth grade and graduated from Willits High School in 1940. Annabell enjoyed her high school years and acquired lifelong friendships.

Annabell was in partnership with her husband in Willits Motor Company, a General Motors dealership, and the Richfield/ARCO gas station on the corner of Main and State Street, where she was the bookkeeper. In 1973 she started working for the Willits Unified School District at Brookside School, enjoying more than 20 years of working with the children of Willits.

In the years Annabell lived in Willits she was active in a number of community organizations including the Camp Fire Girls, Boy Scouts, the Willits Fire Auxiliary, St. Anthony's Ladies Guild, and especially enjoyed helping with the yearly enchilada feed. She was a member in the community AFS exchange student program, and the American Legion Auxiliary.

After retiring at age 72, she continued her active life by volunteering at the William F. Harrah Senior Center. She was preceded in death by her parents, Regina and Rudolph Bergsen, brothers William and Richard Bergsen, sister Beverly Anderson Bargsten, and by husbands Leroy Jodoin and Adolph Duane Gunderson.

She is survived by her loving children LeAnna Jodoin Gunderson Spence, Lyle Duane Gunderson, Lanette Gunderson Williams, and their spouses; 11 grandchildren: Christie, Cheri, Cynde, Jeff, Anthony, Alycia, Amy, Amanda, Hank, Andrew, Philip; nine great-grandchildren: Ariel, Scarlett, Paladin, Evie, Hope, Jay, Tanner, Kendall and Karli; nephews Ronald Bergsen and Robert Bargsten; and by nieces Betty Bargsten Houseweart, Virginia Bargsten Crews and Rena Bargsten Winfrey.

Some of her fondest memories included more than 30 trips to Alaska to visit her family, including one to Nome to watch the finish of the Iditarod sled dog race. She enjoyed fishing, cooking, chopping wood, knitting, crocheting many afghans, aerobics class, and driving to and tending her Sherwood property. She enjoyed and took pride in maintaining her home on Mendocino Avenue that she and her husband, Duane, built in 1950. She attended several classes at Mendocino College, earning certificates in child education.

She made conversation and friends wherever she went from grocery lines to airports. The rule "do not talk to strangers" was nixed.

She is remembered for her love of children and her ever-so-popular snickerdoodles. She was a great cook and gardener. She will be missed for her vim, vigor and vitality.

The family requests memorial contributions are made to the Harrah Senior Center in Willits.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, December 20, in the Anker-Lucier Mortuary Chapel. Burial will follow at Willits Cemetery.

Visitations for Annabell will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, December 19, at Anker-Lucier Mortuary.

Arrangements under the care and direction of Anker-Lucier Mortuary.