Grace J. Gunderson, 94

Grace J. Gunderson, 94, died Monday, Dec. 29, 2008, at Logan Valley Manor in Lyons.

Funeral services are 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, at the Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Rosalie. Interment will be in the Lyons Cemetery.

Visitation is from 1 to 8 p.m. Friday at Pelan Funeral Home in Lyons. Visitation will also be held Saturday at the church one hour prior to the service.

Grace Johanna Tonjes was born Oct. 23, 1914, on the family farm northeast of Allen to George H. and Martha D. (Hilbers) Tonjes.

She was baptized Dec. 8, 1914, at the Lutheran Church in Allen. Her family moved to a farm near Scribner, in 1920. She attended District No. 35 School near Scribner. She was confirmed on Sept. 16, 1928, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hooper.

On Dec. 14, 1938, she married Howard Wesley “Tuff” Gunderson at her parents’ home near Scribner. The couple farmed in the Rosalie area.

Mrs. Gunderson was a member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rosalie and its WELCA. She was also a member of the Parks Club and was a 4-H leader.

Mr. and Mrs. Gunderson retired from farming in 1991 and moved to Lyons. Mrs. Gunderson later moved to the Lyons Apartments and in July, 2003, to the Assisted Living at Logan Valley Manor.

Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Jean Ann and Lyle Porter of Omaha; son and daughter-in-law, Wesley Raymond and Esther Gunderson of Blair; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; brother and sisters-in-law, Norman and Norma Tonjes, and Ann Tonjes all of Scribner; brothers-in-law, Donald Poppe of Scribner and Edwin Fahrenholz of Allen; many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Howard, in April 1993; a grandson, Jay John Porter; brothers and sister-in-law, George Tonjes, Clarence and Annie Tonjes; sisters and brother-in-law, Mildred Fahrenholz, Evelyn and Maurice Swanson, Valenda Poppe.