Connie Lee Gunderson

Connie Gunderson, age 91, of Northfield, passed away peacefully Sunday evening, June 9, 2024, at Eventide in Fargo, North Dakota.

Connie Lee (Hintz) Gunderson was born March 22, 1933, in Mott, North Dakota, to Otto and Henrietta (Rekow) Hintz. She was raised in Mott and graduated from Dakota Lutheran High School in Minot in 1951. Following high school, she worked as a telephone operator and attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. In 1956, she moved to Brooklyn, New York, as a parish worker for Zion Lutheran Church. During that time, she met Lloyd Gunderson, serving his first full-time pastorate at a neighboring church in Brooklyn. They served different congregations but were next door neighbors.

On August 30, 1958, Connie and Lloyd were married at English Lutheran Church in Mott. After marriage they made their home in Madison, Wisconsin, where Lloyd was serving congregations in Cambridge and Black Earth. From 1961 to 1966 they made their home in Moorhead and in 1967, they moved to Northfield. Connie remained at home with the boys until the early 1980's. At which time, she began her career at the St. Olaf College Library where she worked in the Interlibrary Loan Program until her retirement. In addition to St. Olaf, Connie, along with friends Joan Halvorson and Ruth Anna Miller, operated a catering service. Lloyd passed away on July 4, 2010. Connie remained at home until moving to Kildahl Park Pointe in 2015. In November 2021, she moved to West Fargo where daughter in-law Joleen cared for her and provided for many of her needs in later life.

Connie was a longtime member of St. John’s Lutheran Church where she was particularly active with refreshing and maintaining the courtyard. She was active with the Northfield Historical Society, Northfield Arts Guild, PEO, and volunteered at the Carleton College Japanese Garden.

Together with Lloyd, Connie enjoyed travel, and for a time lived in Greece and France. She was a wonderful hostess and cook, often concentrating on Greek and French cuisine, and she enjoyed Asian inspired artworks and collected turtles! Connie was a warm person with impeccable manners. She created a comfortable, inviting home always open to her family and all friends, old and new. Upon leaving you knew you were loved and cherished.

Survivors include her sons Karl (Joleen) of West Fargo, ND, Konrad (Rachel) of St. Joseph, MO; 6 grandchildren Marc (Stephanie) of Menomonee Falls, WI, Melissa of Minneapolis, Katelyn of Rosamund, CA, Lauren (Joe Cochran) of Kansas City, Erik (Vivian) of Monterey, CA, Daniel (fiancée Grace Grant); 2 great-granddaughters Maggie and Millie; nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Lloyd, son Martin, daughter-in-law Ansley, sister Sherrill Schorsch, brother Curtis Hintz and her parents.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00AM, Monday, June 24, 2024, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Northfield. Visitation will begin at 10:00AM and a reception will follow the service.

Memorials are preferred to St. John’s Lutheran or the donor’s choice.