Joseph and Isabelle (Leonard) Sunder proudly announced the birth of their son, Leonard Joseph Sunder, born on Friday, August 31, 1923 in Jordan, MN. Len was the oldest of the four boys, Rollie, Lee and Paul. At the age of two, he became deaf due to spinal meningitis. This however, did not stop Len from being an active boy. He attended St. John’s Elementary Deaf School in Milwaukee, WI and graduated from Faribault Deaf High School in 1940.
The Sunder family loved sports. During high school, Len played football, basketball and baseball. He even had the chance to play against his home town team of Jordan. After high school, he was the catcher for the Jordan Brewer’s Baseball Team. He treasured these times being surrounded by his brothers.
Most of Len’s career was spent working for the Pioneer Press for over 30 years. But life was complete when he married Josephine Rose Michelau on Saturday, August 25, 1951 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Heron Lake, MN. They were blessed with three children, Dan, Rita and Jim. As a family, they enjoyed camping along the North Shore, picnics and snowmobiling at the state parks. They also loved visiting family “at the farm” in southern Minnesota and a few weeks a year at the resort in Forest Lake, Minnesota.
The biggest passion in life was time spent at the family cabin in Longville, MN. After the long drive from the cities and as the family made the final turn onto the two mile long driveway, Len projected a contagious excitement in the air. He was the happiest at the cabin and this spread throughout the family making the weekends together the best.
Len was an avid hunter and fisherman. He had a love for nature and wildlife, he was always pointing out birds, ducks and deer to his children all throughout their lives. Fishing and hunting took Len and his family throughout the state and Canada.
Len was a ‘happy-go-lucky’ man and laid back in nature, a loving husband, a devoted dad and a caring grandpa. He seemed to never have a care or worry in the world. A resident of St. Paul, Len Sunder, age 88, passed away peacefully on the afternoon of Friday, April 27, 2012 at the Presbyterian Homes in Arden Hills, MN.
Forever loved, Len, will be deeply missed by his children, Dan (Kathy) Sunder of Hugo, MN, Rita (Rick) Zitterman of San Diego, CA, Jim (Carrie) Sunder of White Bear Lake, MN; grandchildren, Kelly (Nick) Anderson, Luke and Josephine Sunder; step-grandchild, Kendra Kimlinger; great-grandchild, Ashley Anderson; step-great-grandchild, Zeke Kimlinger; brother, Paul (Betty) Sunder of Jordan, MN, sisters-in-law, Vivienne Sunder of Jordan, MN, Gert Sunder of Richfield, MN and other loving nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Len is preceded in death by his wife, Josephine; parents, Joe and Isabelle Sunder; brothers, Lee and Rollie Sunder.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be on Thursday, May 3 at 11 a.m., with visitation one hour prior all at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church 210 North Broadway, Jordan, MN. Father Timothy Yanta will officiate. Len will be laid to rest next to his wife, Josephine at the Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Jordan, Minnesota.
A special thanks to the staff at Presbyterian Homes in Arden Hills for the great care for Len over the past two years.
