Rolf V. Lunde, 81, died suddenly of cardiac arrest Tuesday, July 21, 2009, at home.
Rolf was born March 18, 1928 in Minot, N.D. to the Rev. Herman and Adelaide (Vereide) Lunde.
He spent his childhood years in Fessenden, N.D. When he was 12 his father accepted a call to churches in Grand Forks, N.D. Upon graduating from Central High School in Grand Forks, Rolf enlisted in the Army and served with the 8th Army Occupation Forces in Japan where he was stationed on Ford Island in Tokyo Bay. He was honorably discharged in 1947.
Rolf graduated from Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. in 1951 and taught high school in Twin Valley, Minn. for one year. He married Kathleen (Kitty) Smerud June 8, 1952 at the Milnor (N.D.) Lutheran Church.
They lived in Eugene, OR and then Seattle, WA, where Rolf was employed as an industrial estimator for Grinnell Company of the Pacific.
Returning to the Midwest, Rolf worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative for Pfizer Laboratories in the Twin Cities region. He decided on a career change and enrolled in Northwestern Chiropractic College in Minneapolis, Minn., graduating in 1966.
He practiced in Rapid City for 10 years and served as secretary-treasurer, of the South Dakota Chiropractic Association. He moved to Texas, built a clinic and practiced there until retirement. While in Texas, he earned his private pilot license, bought an airplane and enjoyed flying immensely.
Upon retirement, he and Kitty returned to Rapid City and the beautiful Black Hills, which he so loved. He served on the Whispering Pines HOA for many years and also on the Board of Trustees for the Colonial Pine Hills Sanitary District.
Rolf was an energetic, articulate man of keen intellect, with many talents and interests. He had great enthusiasm. Rolf loved to visit with friends old and new. He had tremendous empathy for animals and all living things. He enjoyed travel and beautiful places and creations. He was active and always ready for a new adventure. A wonderful loving family man, he will be greatly missed. Rolf spent his last days enjoying life.
Survived by his wife of 57 years, Kitty; his son, Stephen Lunde and his wife, Guille of Rapid City; two daughters, Andrea Pieterick and her husband, Joe of Arvada, Colo., and Marsha Linville and her husband, David of Indianapolis, Ind.; one granddaughter, Xochitl Smith, Chicago, Ill.; five grandsons, Erik Lunde of Rapid City, Matthew, Ryan and Mark Pieterick of Arvada, and Lanis Watkins of Indianapolis; one sister, Connie Vanvig of Beach, N.D.; and one brother John Lunde of Lincoln, Neb.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, at Serenity Springs Funeral Chapel in Rapid City with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. Pastor Dean Oldson of Kewascum, Wis., will be officiating. Burial, with military honors provided by the South Dakota National Guard and Rushmore VFW Post 1273, will be at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis.
The family suggests memorials to Rainbow Bible Ranch.