Ellen Underdahl Gunderson

Ellen Marjorie Underdahl Gunderson, age 95, died peacefully at her home in Duluth on Wednesday, December 22nd. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 8th, at Maple Lake Lutheran Church, rural Fertile, with the Rev. Phil Larsen officiating. Interment will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service on Friday, January 7th, at the Carlin Funeral Home in Fosston. There will also be reviewal for one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the church. Arrangements are with Carlin Family Funeral Service of Fosston and messages of condolence may be shared at www.carlinfuneral.com.

Ellen was born to Edward and Martha Bertils (Bakken) on September 9, 1926 in Polk County MN.  She attended country school and graduated from Mentor High School in 1944.  She was united in marriage to Harold Underdahl on September 1, 1946.  After their marriage they farmed in Woodside Township in rural Erskine for 10 years.  Together they raised their family of five children.

After an illness, Harold could no longer farm and they moved to Moorhead where Harold attended Concordia College.  With Ellen's support, Harold graduated Summa Cum Laude and then attended Luther Seminary to become a Lutheran minister.  They moved to Becker where he pastored three Lutheran churches.  Additionally, Harold later pastored churches at Fergus Falls, MN and Rutland, ND.  After retirement they moved to Wendell, and later to Fosston, where Harold passed away in 1999.

Ellen later married Gordon Gunderson and moved to Mora, where she lived until Gordon passed away in 2018, at which time Ellen moved to Duluth to live with her daughter, Carol.

She is survived by her children:  Mary (David) Swigert of Sahuarita, AZ, Carol Norlien of Duluth, MN, Perry Underdahl of Sequim, WA, James (Amy) Underdahl of Underwood, MN, and Ruth (Mark) Keller of Eagle River, AK; 19 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, sister Irene Vidden of  Fertile, 2 brothers:  Paul Bertils of Andover and David (Elaine) Bertils of Fertile, also many nieces, nephews, and cousins as well as 8 stepchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, granddaughter Sheila Swigert, sister Grace Lee, and brother Vernon Bertils.

Ellen was a loving wife and mother who will be remembered for her love of Jesus, her Savior.