1942
Ole
2024
Ole Thorvald Gunderson Jr.
September 21, 1942 — September 2, 2024
Ole Thorvald Gunderson Jr., age 81 passed away from this earth on September 2, 2024 in Heber City, Utah. He was born on September 21, 1942 in Tacoma, Washington to Ole Thorvald Gunderson, Sr. and Barbara Patricia Mason.
He married the love of his life, Maria Elena Hirzel on March 25, 1972.
Ole retired three times. First from Delco Electronics, a division of General Motors after nearly 30 years. Then he worked for Litton for three years. His all-time favorite job was driving a school bus for Wasatch County which he did for five years before retiring for the last time.
Ole had many interests and hobbies. First and foremost was spending time with his family and doing genealogy. Which inspired a trip to Scandinavia, which included his brother Norman to meet their Norwegian family members. He was proud of his heritage.
Once in awhile Ole and Maria would take off to the great unknown and travel around the world. He truly loved seeing new counties and meeting new people. He was blessed to travel to Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, South Asia, South America, Cuba, and Canada always making friends along the way.
He also loved classic cars and going to car shows. Motorcycles were another interest. He had a need for speed. He mastered many crafts. He was very good at wood working and made a lot of furniture. He was great at DIY and unafraid to tackle adding on and enlarging rooms in our home for our expanding family.
In the 70’s he was into leather working, and we had many purses, belts and headbands handcrafted for his children and friends. Once, he wanted to go into Tijuana, Mexico because he had an idea of making purses and selling them at the farmer’s markets in Santa Barbara. So, he and Maria drove down to the border to purchase leather skins. When we arrived, we were allowed in on the U.S. side, but the side of Mexico would not let him in because we looked too much like hippies. Maria could go but not Ole. Needless to say, he was not happy.
He also enjoyed being outdoors fishing, camping, and many family vacations were taken throughout the western part of the U.S. He took great pride in taking care of his fruit trees and growing vegetables.
He was a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joining with his family at the age of 35. He served in many callings from scout master as his first calling to second councilor in the Bishopric to first councilor and then as Bishop of the Solvang Ward of California. When he and Maria retired, they went on a mission for their church and served in the Cherry Hill, New Jersey Mission where he was a councilor in the branch presidency. They also served six years in the Los Angeles Temple and seven years in the Provo Temple as ordinance workers stopping only because of Covid.
Ole never stopped learning new things. He even built his own smoker and smoked meats and cheeses. He also baked bread and freeze-dried many fun, yummy things. He would bake a Norwegian Kransekake cake every year for Christmas where there was much discussion over who would get the top ring. He was an awesome wood carver and every year family members would receive a hand carved ornament or a nativity for Christmas.
He was the family photographer which made it hard to find pictures of him.
He loved being with the Grand and Great-grandchildren and teaching them things like whittling and how to work a transistor radio, getting them set up to float the canal, which was an annual fun summer activity.
He was the best Dad, Papa, and Papito around and will be missed.
He is survived by his wife Maria Elena Gunderson, sister Wendy Gunderson-Zook, son Christopher Gonzalez, daughters Nicole Robertson, Michelle Koon, and Liza Kerns, twelve grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his parents Ole Thorvald Gunderson Sr. and Barbara Patrica Mason Gunderson, sister Jean Mines, brothers Robin Gunderson and Norman Gunderson.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, September 27, 2024, at 11:00am at 521 East 500 North, Heber City, Utah 84032. The interment will then follow at the Heber City Cemetery located at 680 North 550 East, Heber City, Utah 84032.
To stream the services, please visit:
https://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/104363/hash:A6B565D483216AA0
He married the love of his life, Maria Elena Hirzel on March 25, 1972.
Ole retired three times. First from Delco Electronics, a division of General Motors after nearly 30 years. Then he worked for Litton for three years. His all-time favorite job was driving a school bus for Wasatch County which he did for five years before retiring for the last time.
Ole had many interests and hobbies. First and foremost was spending time with his family and doing genealogy. Which inspired a trip to Scandinavia, which included his brother Norman to meet their Norwegian family members. He was proud of his heritage.
Once in awhile Ole and Maria would take off to the great unknown and travel around the world. He truly loved seeing new counties and meeting new people. He was blessed to travel to Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia, South Asia, South America, Cuba, and Canada always making friends along the way.
He also loved classic cars and going to car shows. Motorcycles were another interest. He had a need for speed. He mastered many crafts. He was very good at wood working and made a lot of furniture. He was great at DIY and unafraid to tackle adding on and enlarging rooms in our home for our expanding family.
In the 70’s he was into leather working, and we had many purses, belts and headbands handcrafted for his children and friends. Once, he wanted to go into Tijuana, Mexico because he had an idea of making purses and selling them at the farmer’s markets in Santa Barbara. So, he and Maria drove down to the border to purchase leather skins. When we arrived, we were allowed in on the U.S. side, but the side of Mexico would not let him in because we looked too much like hippies. Maria could go but not Ole. Needless to say, he was not happy.
He also enjoyed being outdoors fishing, camping, and many family vacations were taken throughout the western part of the U.S. He took great pride in taking care of his fruit trees and growing vegetables.
He was a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joining with his family at the age of 35. He served in many callings from scout master as his first calling to second councilor in the Bishopric to first councilor and then as Bishop of the Solvang Ward of California. When he and Maria retired, they went on a mission for their church and served in the Cherry Hill, New Jersey Mission where he was a councilor in the branch presidency. They also served six years in the Los Angeles Temple and seven years in the Provo Temple as ordinance workers stopping only because of Covid.
Ole never stopped learning new things. He even built his own smoker and smoked meats and cheeses. He also baked bread and freeze-dried many fun, yummy things. He would bake a Norwegian Kransekake cake every year for Christmas where there was much discussion over who would get the top ring. He was an awesome wood carver and every year family members would receive a hand carved ornament or a nativity for Christmas.
He was the family photographer which made it hard to find pictures of him.
He loved being with the Grand and Great-grandchildren and teaching them things like whittling and how to work a transistor radio, getting them set up to float the canal, which was an annual fun summer activity.
He was the best Dad, Papa, and Papito around and will be missed.
He is survived by his wife Maria Elena Gunderson, sister Wendy Gunderson-Zook, son Christopher Gonzalez, daughters Nicole Robertson, Michelle Koon, and Liza Kerns, twelve grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his parents Ole Thorvald Gunderson Sr. and Barbara Patrica Mason Gunderson, sister Jean Mines, brothers Robin Gunderson and Norman Gunderson.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, September 27, 2024, at 11:00am at 521 East 500 North, Heber City, Utah 84032. The interment will then follow at the Heber City Cemetery located at 680 North 550 East, Heber City, Utah 84032.
To stream the services, please visit:
https://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/104363/hash:A6B565D483216AA0
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Ole Thorvald Gunderson Jr., please visit our flower store.
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Friday, September 27, 2024
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