LINDY GUNDERSON
Retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Lindy Charles Gunderson, 77, of 2505 Dawn Circle, died Wednesday at Wayne Memorial Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer.
Col. Gunderson was the son of the late George Gunderson and Pearl Moore Allen and was a distinguished and decorated member of the United States Air Force. His military career took him from enlistment to colonel and he logged more than 6,500 flying hours in C-124s, B-47s and B-52s. He was a member of the United States Air Force Association and the Daedallions.
While stationed at Seymour Johnson, Col. Gunderson was commandant for the Middle Atlantic area for Air Force ROTC. He was responsible for 18 colleges and universities and 56 high schools from South Carolina to Washington, D.C. He retired in 1979.
After retirement he worked in Raleigh for a year then taught at Wayne Community College, Mount Olive College, St. Leo College and Embry Riddle Aeronautical Univer-sity, until December 2002.
Col. Gunderson was a member of the Rotary Club of Goldsboro, having served as secretary and chairman of various committees. The club honored his faithful service by naming him a Paul Harris Fellow, the Rotary's highest award, and by presenting him with its first Rotarian of the Year Award. Following the presentation, the award was named in his honor.
An avid bridge player, he was a director, teacher and score keeper, and was a member of the Goldsboro Duplicate Bridge Club. He wrote the local bridge column in the News-Argus for 20 years.
The funeral will be held Friday at 6 p.m. at Seymour Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Charles Moseley officiating. Burial will be at a later date in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors.
Col. Gunderson is survived by his wife, Mary E. "Ray" Gunderson; his son, Ed Gunderson and wife Joyce of Colonial Beach, Va.; his daughters, Ann Kidd and husband Don of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Brenda G. Morawski and husband Mike of Goldsboro; his grandchildren, Ryan Gunderson, Scott Gunderson, Lindy Gunderson, Eric Kidd, Courtney Kidd, Mary Beth Morawski, Brooke Morawski and Taylor Morawski; and his brothers and sisters, Julia G. Hocz, Ruth G. Rau, Katie Hollenbeck, Marilyn Frith, Shirley Bracken and Carolyn Sue Thomas.
He was preceded in death by a brother, Ed Gunderson.
Memorials may be made to the Lindy Gunderson Scholarship Fund, c/o the Rotary Club of Goldsboro, P.O. Box 212, Goldsboro, NC 27533.
The family will receive friends at Seymour Funeral Home following the service on Friday night, and other times they will be at the residence at 2505 Dawn Circle.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on February 17, 2005 1:49 PM