Carl Harmon Gunderson Sr.

Dr. Carl Harmon Gunderson died Tuesday, September 30, 2025 in Silver Spring, Maryland. Carl was born on 6 November 1933 in South Bend, Indiana to his parents Norris Elwood and Harriet Elizabeth (Harmon) Gunderson. He was raised in Mishawaka, Indiana. He attended Norte Dame (BS), University of Chicago (MD), and Yale (neurology residency). Carl met Anne Bruner at the First Presbyterian Church of South Bend, where they would later marry on September 7, 1957. Carl and Anne had three children: Sarah, Carl II, and Katharine. The same week he received his medical degree, he accepted a commission as captain in the Army. During his time in the army, he was stationed in North Carolina, Texas, and California. In 1980, the last move was to Silver Spring, Maryland where he served as Chief of Neurology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center until his retirement as colonel in 1996. As a civilian, he began his next chapter teaching at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences until retiring in 2015.
Carl was passionate about history, traveling all over the world during his lifetime often with Anne by his side. He was a lifelong learner, continuing to take courses on a wide array of topics until his death. Once moving to Maryland, he and Anne became avid boaters with Carl becoming quite a talented boat captain. He wrote a memoir "Home is Where the Army Sends You" with his daughter Sarah in 2020.
Carl lost Anne, the love of his life, in January of this year. He is survived by his children Sarah Gunderson, Carl Gunderson and wife Lisa, and Katharine Watson and husband Jason; his grandchildren Erik Gunderson, Kelsey Rutledge and husband Seth, Kristie Gunderson, and Kyle Watson; his great-granddaughters Raegan, Adaline, Morgan, and Annie Rutledge.
Funeral services will be held on October 28 2025, at the Colesville Presbyterian Church (12800 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring). The visitation will be at 10 a.m., funeral service at 11 a.m., and a reception immediately following the service. A graveside service will be at 2:30 p.m. at the Parklawn Cemetery (12800 Veirs Mill Rd., Rockville, MD). In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Colesville Presbyterian Church, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Capital Area Food Bank, or a charity of the donor's choosing.