The history of the Gunderson family in Pocahontas County, Iowa, began in 1881 when Gunder Bjorn Gunderson and Charles Lewis (C.L.) Gunderson traveled from Grant County, Wisconsin, to Roosevelt Township, Pocahontas County, Iowa, to begin farming. Gunder eventually left farming and moved to Shelton, Washington, but C.L. stayed and farmed the land for nearly 40 years. His youngest son, John, took over the farm after C.L. and his wife, Dena (Christensen), moved to the nearby town of Rolfe, Iowa.

Deane Charles Gunderson was born in 1918 and was the son of John and DeElda (Lighter) Gunderson of Rolfe, Iowa. At age 16, Deane graduated from Rolfe High School in 1935. He attended an honors physics class at the University of Iowa that summer prior to enrolling at Iowa State College (University) where he received B.S. degrees in Agricultural Engineering (1939) and Mechanical Engineering (1940). Deane was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (PiKA), serving as president his senior year and president of the PiKA House Corporation for 24 years.



Marion Loomis Abbott Gunderson was born in 1919 and was the daughter of James T. and Helen (Loomis) Abbott of Ogden, Utah. She graduated from Ogden High School in 1937 and attended Iowa State College (University), receiving her B.S. (1941) in Applied Art. One of her instructors was the sculptor Christian Petersen. Marion was a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority.



On July 23, 1941, Deane Gunderson and Marion Abbott were married in Ogden, Utah. They resided in Waterloo, Iowa, for nearly four years while Deane continued to work as an engineer for the John Deere Tractor Company. In 1945 Marion and Deane moved with their three young children to the farm southwest of Rolfe, eventually named Gunderland by the family, where they lived for six decades.



Throughout her life Marion was a watercolor painter and exhibited in galleries across the state. She was one of a group of mostly Pocahontas County women who, in the early 1950s, formed the Barr Art Association and painted together into the early 1970s. From 1963-1998 Marion was a librarian at the Rolfe Public Library. During this time she spearheaded many community projects. In addition, she provided the impetus for the new Rolfe library, community center, city hall that opened in 2004. Marion was active in many community organizations and served on the State Extension Advisory Committee and the Board of Directors of the Iowa State University Alumni Association. She also published a number of books resulting from genealogical research. Marion died in 2004.



Throughout his life Deane was active in the Republican Party. Deane served on the Board of Directors of the Rolfe State Bank. He was involved in public education for 25 years, serving on the Rolfe Community School District Board of Directors from 1966 to 1981 and as a Director and Treasurer of the Iowa Association of School Boards from 1971-1991. He also served on the Board of Governors of the Iowa State University Foundation. Deane died in 2010.



Deane and Marion were life-time supporters of Iowa State academics and athletics. In 1975 Deane created a welded sculpture of Cy (ISU mascot) which stood over 10 feet tall. It was located at the north end of the Iowa State football stadium for many years and now resides in Rolfe. In 1980, Iowa State University awarded Alumni Recognition Medals to Deane and Marion, and in 1981 Iowa State named Deane as Cy’s Favorite Alum.



Deane and Marion were the parents of seven children: Clara, Charles, Helen, Martha, Margaret, Louise, and Christian.



Biographical note contributed by Clara Gunderson Hoover.