Joseph Fjelsted Gundersen

Joseph Fjelsted Gundersen
Joseph Fjelsted Gundersen was born on November 24, 1916, in a small log house near Iona, Bonneville County, Idaho, to Orson Wilford Gundersen and Ingeborg Johanna Terjesen. He was their fifth child. His was a difficult birth. He was nearly 12 pounds at birth, and he had some learning disabilities as a result. The family moved back to Salt Lake City after the death of Orson's mother, Erikke Ask Gundersen. They later inherited her home at 1914 East Gundersen Lane, and it has been in the family ever since. Four more children brought the total of siblings to eight: Edith, Orson, Dorothy, Thomas, Grant, David, Mary, and John. Mary passed away as a small infant of pneumonia. The others have all lived in Holladay, Utah, with the exception of Edith who primarily lived in Washington. Grant later moved to Grantsville, Utah. Joseph attended Irving Jr. High and later Granite High School. He was a great athlete in high school, but didn't graduate. Joseph played all sports, but excelled at track and field. He became the boxing champion of the state of Utah from Granite High. He also played on his family's all-brother basketball team. They challenged any family teams to compete against them, and they beat all comers. Dad was very proud of his brother's athletic abilities. Many of his brothers became state football or wrestling champions. Dad had several sports related injuries. He broke his elbow ski jumping which kept him from serving his country during World War II. He sustained a serious head injury in basketball. He also broke his back in gymnastics. Joseph served in the Central States Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1943 to 1945, which included Iowa and Nebraska. He sang on a religious radio program on Sunday mornings which included duets with a sister missionary. He had a wonderful, rich, baritone voice. After returning home, he encouraged his brothers to start a barbershop quartet which they excelled at and took state honors in for more than a generation since his nephews have carried on the family tradition. His love of music is how he met the love of his life, Clara Jean Black. She was a member of a young adult choir which performed around the Salt Lake City area. After a performance in his home ward in East Millcreek he complimented her and asked her on a date. He was very handsome and a good dancer. He took her to a dance at the Old Mill and later proposed. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on March 3, 1948. He was 32. She was 22. They had three children, Jolynn, Jane, and Kevin Joseph. Unfortunately Jean passed away of cancer in April of 1958. Her untimely death devastated him. He moved from Draper back to Holladay to enlist the help of his extended family in the care of his family. He lived in Holladay from 1959 until 2005 when his home caught fire. He was living in Grantsville at the time of his death. Joseph worked at Hill Air Force Base during World War II and sustained a work related brain injury disability when he was thrown from a truck. It affected the rest of his career. He later worked for Utah Ore Sampling Company for ten years, working his way up to supervisor before his wife's death. He later worked at the University of Utah as a gardener. He was also employed as a janitor at the Church Office Building of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for a time. He worked for his father's plastering business and later worked for his brother's construction company. He sustained another work related injury when he severed all four fingers on his right hand in a table saw accident. They were reattached surgically, but were crooked thereafter. He also worked as a plumber's helper. Joseph married Lillis Baldwin Hansen on March 3, 1964. They had a son, Dalas, born December 3, 1964. They divorced in 1966. He lost custody of all of his children after the divorce. When Joseph retired, he became an avid tennis player. He entered several local tournaments and often won against much younger opponents. He rode a bicycle over 10 miles a day until he was 90. Joseph had a desire for learning. He bought a set of encyclopedias and was determined to read the entire set, which he did. He read all 26 volumes from cover to cover and had a wealth of knowledge even though he never completed high school. He also had a love of the scriptures which he gained from his father. He read the Bible from cover to cover 10 times during his lifetime and was "plowing through it" again before he passed away. He loved his country and the state of Utah where he lived and died. He read the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights, committing much of it to memory. He also knew all of the presidents of the United States and a lot about each one. He loved studying history past and present and was interested in current events right up to the end of his life. He never lost his beautiful singing voice and would "croon a tune" at every opportunity without much encouragement from his family. Dad was a very unique man who was true to his "beliefs" at any cost and was a person who, because of his integrity, had the ability to reflect back or bring out the character of anyone with whom he came in contact. He has certainly earned his place in heaven. We love you Dad and will miss you. Joseph Fjelsted Gundersen passed away on July 7, 2009, at 12:40 p.m. of old age and complications of pneumonia. He was preceded in death by his wife, Clara Jean Black Gundersen, who died in 1958. He is also preceded in death by his parents, Orson Wilford Gundersen and Ingeborg Johanna Terjesen as well as his sisters Edith Madsen and Dorothy Whitley and his brothers Orson and Tom Gundersen. He is survived by his brothers David Whitney Gundersen of Holladay, Utah; Grant Ask Gundersen of Grantsville, Utah; and John Edward Gundersen of Holladay, Utah. He is also survived by his children, Jolynn Collins of West Jordan, Utah; Jane Evans of Kennewick, Washington; Kevin Joseph Gundersen of Grantsville, Utah; and Dalas Gundersen, as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The funeral for Joseph Gundersen will be held Saturday, July 11, at the LDS church at 1925 East Gundersen Lane (4140 South) in Salt Lake City, Utah (Holladay). The viewing will begin at 10:30 a.m. The funeral will be at noon. After the funeral internment will be at Elysian Burial Gardens, 1075 East 4580 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84117.