Obituary of Dorothy L. Gunderson

Dorothy L. Gunderson, age 88, of Mission Hill, SD passed away early Friday morning, October 25, 2013 at the Avera Sister James Care Center, Yankton, SD. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM, Monday, October 28, 2013 at Vangen Lutheran Church, Mission Hill, SD with Rev. Lance Lindgren officiating. Burial will be in the Vangen Lutheran Cemetery, Mission Hill, SD. Visitations will begin at 5:00 PM, Sunday, October 27, 2013 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Crematory, Yankton, with a Scripture service at 7:00 PM. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. Dorothy was born April 28th, 1925 in Marion, SD to David and Betty (Schrottroff) Pankratz. She attended Marion elementary and graduated from Marion High School in 1943. She attended Sacred Heart School of Nursing and graduated in 1946. On April 2nd, 1948 she married Donald J. Gunderson at Vangen Lutheran Church. They farmed in the Mission Hill area until 1957 after which they moved to Sioux Falls, SD. Dorothy worked as nurse at the Veterans Hospital. In 1961, she accompanied the Augustana College choir on their European tour as the choir nurse. In 1963 they moved back to Mission Hill and she worked at SD Human Services center as a psychiatric nurse until her retirement. In retirement she enjoyed many church activities such as singing in the choir, ladies aid, church quilters and attending bible study. She also enjoyed her flower gardening and neighborhood socializing. She will be remembered for her smile. She is survived by her son, Jim (Patty) Gunderson of Mission Hill, SD; grandchildren, Matt (Mitch) Gunderson of Gretna, NE, and Jennifer (Tyler) Everson of Willmar, MN; her great-granddaughter, Maryn Gunderson of Gretna, NE; and numerous nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald in 1981 and brother, Harold Pankratz in 1978.