Anderson Funeral Home
Homeserving families for over 60 years
312 South Stone St.
Augusta, WI 54722
715-286-2222
Garry Gunderson
Garry LeRoyce Gunderson, 84, of the Price area of rural Fairchild, passed away early Monday afternoon April 24, 2023, shortly after his arrival at Mayo Clinic Health System in Osseo.
Garry was born on April 13, 1939, the third of five children born to Gunder and Ida (Wampole) Gunderson. Garry was born at the Gunderson Homestead near Price. He attended the Carlson and Scotts Valley Country Schools and graduated from Augusta High School in 1956.
Garry was united in marriage to Karen Schacht on Nov. 18, 1958, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Fall Creek, and to this union they were blessed with the birth of 6 children. The couple farmed all their married life together in the rural Augusta-Fairchild area ending up in Garfield Township, Jackson County. In addition to years of farming, Garry also cash cropped and for a time drove a can milk route for his brother Gordy. For a few years after Garry and his wife sold their dairy cows, they raised buffalo, which at times could be quite challenging!
Garry’s family enjoyed the lifestyle that farming gave them, they worked hard as a family but also played together with the same spirit. During the time away from the chores you could often find Garry pitching or hitting balls in the yard for the kids. They all grew up enjoying softball and other sports. Garry played on the Bloom’s softball team but "Pa" was mostly a proud supporter and fan of the teams that "Molly" and their girls played for over the years. Schedules would be adjusted when one of the children, grandchildren or great grandchildren had a sporting or school event, as Garry and Molly were usually always in attendance. Garry’s life revolved around his family and the activities they did together including their summer vacations and the hunting and fishing trips to Canada in their renovated blue school bus. Later in life, Garry and Molly bought a cabin on Lake Loretta near Winter where he would go fishing with the kids and grandkids, but it was also the perfect location to go bear hunting with his boys and Molly. In earlier years he and Molly enjoyed bowling with a couple’s league and in later years the two drove countless miles together listening to the radio communication between the hunters with their dogs when they were chasing coyotes and bear. Garry also looked forward to a good auction and the visiting and camaraderie that went with it.
Garry will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him, especially Molly, his loving and devoted wife of 64 years; 3 sons, Larry and Debbie (Kay) Gunderson, Corey and Carla (Holmen) Gunderson and Randy and Missy (Blom) Gunderson all of rural Fairchild; 2 daughters, Peggy and Gary Thran of Fond du Lac and Patti and Pat Kutchera of Fairchild; 13 grandchildren, Jason, Brady, Shane, Hunter, Nicole, Kristine, Leanna, Erik, Heather, Tony, Colby, Chloe and Taylor; 16 great grandchildren, Gage, Morgan, Jazmyn, Kalvin, Ashlyn, Lakoda, Madison, Abigail, Anna, Shelby, Bryce, Brock, Jaylyn, Jadyne, Sophia and Friedrik; and 1 great, great grandchild, Paisley. He is further survived by his brothers, Gordon Gunderson of Fall Creek, Dallas and Monica Gunderson of Green Bay, and Gayle and Linda Gunderson of Fairchild; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Garry was preceded in death by his father in 1962; his son Gregory Gunderson in 1971; his mother in 1999; sister Lorrita “Lolly” Howell in 2009; great granddaughter Paisley Kaufman in 2017; great grandson Dylan Passa in 2021; sisters-in-law, Mary and Alice Gunderson; and step father Verne Buend; step father Verne Buend; father and mother-in-law, Edward and Mabel Schacht; brother-in-law and his wife, Kenneth and Geneva Schacht..
Private graveside services will be held at a later date at the North Branch Cemetery, Garfield Township, Jackson County.
Online condolences can be left at www.andersonfhaugusta.com
