Sonja R. Gunderson, age 80, of Glenwood, died Monday, September 24, 2012, at Talahi Care Center in St. Cloud, MN. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Friday at Glenwood Lutheran Church with Rev. Randy Chrissis officiating. Visitation will be Thursday from 5:00 - 7:00 P.M. at the funeral home and continue on Friday at the church, one hour prior to the service. Inurnment will be in the Benson Cemetery at a later date. Arrangements are with Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home of Glenwood.

Sonja Ruby Gunderson, the daughter of Roy and Sigri (Nedrebo) Christianson was born July 13, 1932, in Glenwood, Minnesota. She was the first of five girls born and raised on a farm south of Glenwood. She attended rural country school district #69 and then high school in Glenwood and graduated from Glenwood High School in 1950.

On September 4, 1951, Sonja was united in marriage to Lloyd Gunderson at Glenwood Lutheran Church. The couple made their home in Benson and Sonja worked at the Swift County Benson Hospital at the front desk. She also worked as financial secretary for Our Redeemers Lutheran Church in Benson where she was a member. This marriage was blessed with four children. In 1986, the couple moved to the twin cities and Sonja worked at various clinics as a transcriptionist. Sonja and Lloyd shared 46 years of marriage before Lloyd passed away on October 7, 1997. After Lloyd died, Sonja moved back to the Glenwood area in 1999. She started to work at Central Square and continued to work there until this January, when her health prevented her from continuing. When she could no longer care for her daily needs, she moved into the Talahi Care Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She passed away there surrounded by her family on September 24, 2012.

Sonja enjoyed reading, count cross-stitch, watching TV, and animals. She had a strong faith in her Lord and was a member of Glenwood Lutheran Church. Most importantly, Sonja loved her family. She was so proud of her children, grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. She loved spending time with them and her sisters. She was also very proud of her Norwegian heritage. She was loved deeply and will be missed.

Sonja is survived by her children: Rod (Colleen) Gunderson of Benson, Vicki (Phil) Bahl of Sauk Centre, MN, and Tony of Minneapolis, MN; 6 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren; sisters, Rita Pederson of Glenwood, Loretta (Richard) Miller of Edina, Orla (Richard Heiny) Larson of Los Angeles, CA, and Anita (Vern) Mohr of Morris, MN; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, Lloyd; son, Randy, and a brother-in-law, Ove Pederson.

Obituary prepared by Hoplin Funeral Home