Bruce H. Gunderson

Memorial Services for Bruce Gunderson of Karlstad will be held on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at the United Free Lutheran Church in Greenbush at 10:00 a.m.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.

Bruce Harold Gunderson, the son of Edna (Rasmussen) and Chester Gunderson was born on June 20, 1945 in Thief River Falls.  He attended school in Thief River, graduating from high school in 1963.  He then attended college in Thief River and received his associate degree in electronics.

Bruce married Joanne Rygh on March 18, 1967.  He served in the United States Air Force for four years and during that time he and Joanne were moving quite often.  They moved back to Thief River Falls following Bruce’s Honorable Discharge from the Air Force and Bruce worked various construction jobs.

They moved to Karlstad, MN in 1970. Bruce worked at Kapco and also worked construction.  In 1973 he started his well drilling business, Pelan Construction and Well. He drilled wells in our region for forty years, finally drilling his last well in 2013.  His last well was for his daughter Joni’s house.

Bruce loved to ride motorcycles.  He also enjoyed buying old hot rods and fixing them up from the wheels up. He was a great husband, father and grandpa.

Bruce served as the President of the MN Water Well Association.  He was also a member of the United Free Lutheran Church in Greenbush since they moved back to the area in 1973.

He is survived by his wife Joanne; children Jamie Gunderson of Phoenix, AZ, Melanie (Jed) Nordin and their children Kinley and Alec, of Park Rapids, MN, Joshua (Danielle) Gunderson and their daughter Finley of Salisbury, MD, and Joni (Joseph) Wiskow and their children Swayze and Remmik of Karlstad, MN; sister Jean (Richard) Sarno of Elephant Butte, New Mexico; and brother-in-law Marlyn Dusick of Phoenix, AZ.  He is also survived by nieces, nephews and many friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents and a sister Lois Dusick.

 Service Information