Richard Carol Lunden, age 89, of Maple Lake, Minnesota passed away in peace on Sunday, February 3rd, 2019. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, February 11, 2019 at St. Timothy Catholic Church, Maple Lake with Fr. Marty Shallbetter as Celebrant.
Visitation will be held from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Monday at the Dingmann Funeral Care Chapel, Maple Lake. Burial with military honors will be held at 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday, February 12, 2019 at Fort Snelling National Cemetery Assembly Area #5. “Grandpa, we know that because you couldn’t go to Church today you went to heaven instead”.
Born to Oscar and Grace (Berg) Lunden on August 13th, 1929 in Hendricks, Minnesota. His formative years were spent on a farm a short distance outside of Park River, ND that served to initiate a curiosity of life and an innate ability to create trouble (yes, there is that story of him taking ALL of the clocks in the house apart to see how they worked). In September of 1950, he married Irene Marie Kaste at St. Mark’s Church in Conway, ND.
He served in the U.S. Army from 1951 – 1953 where, while he was posted in Germany, learned to program early IBM computers when the technology was in its infancy. Using his intellect, programming skill and management abilities, he made a very good and productive living working for S. J. Groves Construction Co. until retirement and provided a very caring home for his wife and family. He is survived by his loving wife Irene, son Michael (Katrina) Lunden, daughter Mary (Leroy) Harvala, son John (Michelle) Lunden and son Paul (Susan) Lunden, grandchildren, Anna Harvala, Alicia Harvala, Andrew (Angela) Harvala, Elsa (Johnathan) Pondish, Felicity Lunden, Indiana Lunden, Tessa Lunden, and Alexander (Erica) Lunden, great grandchildren Aubrey, William and Evelyn Harvala, Jett Lunden, brother Allyn (Alice) Lunden, brother-in-law Norman Kaste and several nieces and nephews.
Embracing him in heaven are Oscar, Grace, his brother Robert, baby brother, stepmother Marion and great granddaughter Avalynn Lunden. Father, Dad, Papa, Grandpa, you can hold your head up high, take solace in the fact that your influence helped us all be just a little better and kinder individuals and know that our world just became a smaller place without you. You will go on, in an endlessly enduring place, within each of our hearts.
Always the irrepressible teaser, we will always remember that face you made … right after you took your teeth out! Dick’s grandchildren will serve as pallbearers with David and William Boyle serving as honorary pallbearers. Krista Elsenpeter and Shannon Paumen will provide music for the service.
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