Funeral Mass for Lorraine Gunderson, 98, of Sisseton, SD will be held on Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 10:30 A.M. at St. Peter's Catholic Church, Sisseton, SD with Rev. Fr. Norm Volk O.M.I. celebrant. Pallbearers will be Al, David, Jeffrey, and Darin Gunderson, Lisa Clendenin, and Stanley Schade. Organist will be Cindy Marohl and Song Leader will be Sandi Jaspers. Interment will be in the St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery, Sisseton, SD. There will be visitation on Friday, October 30, 2009 from 2:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. with a 7:00 Prayer Service at Cahill Funeral Chapel, Sisseton, SD. There will be visitation one hour prior to the services at the church on Saturday. Lorraine Gunderson was born on January 2, 1911 on a farm in Red Iron Lake Township, Marshall County, South Dakota to Mathies and Katherine (Janisch) Thuringer. She was baptized at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Eden, SD on January 22, 1911. She attended Country School in Red Iron Lake Township. She walked a mile each way to school, and on bright sunny days in the winter, with sensitive eyes and no sunglasses she could barely see to get home. After her education she came to Sisseton in search of work and started working at the O.K. Café which was owned by the Waylon family and Mrs. Archie Horr. She was known for her pie baking. Lorraine was married to Alwood Gunderson on October 14, 1935 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Lake City, SD. The couple farmed nine miles north of Sisseton, SD for a number of years. They raised a big garden, milked cows, and had eggs from the chickens so they didn't have to buy much food. After Alwood passed away on October 17, 1958, Lorraine moved to Sisseton and worked in the clothing department at Stavig's Brothers Department Store. She also worked for her sons at Gunners Pub and Steakhouse in Sisseton and the Elk Creek Steakhouse at Piedmont, SD. Her restaurant experience must have rubbed off on her sons. She was known as Grandma Lorraine to many of her grandchildrens friends and always had baked items on hand for them and anyone else who stopped by to visit her. Lorraine entered the Tekakwitha Living Center in April of 2002 and passed away there on October 26, 2009.
Lorraine is survived by two sons, Eugene and companion Frankie Ross, and Thomas and wife Holly all of Piedmont, SD, six grandchildren, David and Denise Gunderson, from Erda, UT, Timothy and Velda Gunderson, from Piedmont, SD, Jeffrey and Tammy Gunderson, from Seattle, WA, Darin and Donna Gunderson, Spanaway, WA, Lisa and Aaron Clendenin from Piedmont, SD, and Al and Tessa Gunderson from Lombard, IL, nine great-grandchildren, and eight great-great-grandchildren, one sister, Mrs. Gertrude Poyet of Palatine, IL, and several nieces and nephews.
Lorraine was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two brothers, Albert and Joseph, three sisters, Regina King, Mary Dunne, and Martha Baumruck.
The Family requests memorials to the Tekakwitha Living Center at 6 East Chestnut Street, Sisseton, SD 57262 due to the loving care she received there the last years of her life.