Oluf "Ole" Sundeen

Ret. Col. Oluf “Ole” Sundeen, born December 23, 1936 in Brocket, ND, died on September 6, 2021 in San Antonio, TX at the age of 84 years.  He was preceded in death by his parents, O.J. and Eva Sundeen; his three sisters, Joyce Riebe, Joan Hvidsten, and Janice Niclai; two infant children, Scott and Leann; and his special friends, K. Thor Thompson and Norm Carruthers.

Ole is survived by his wife of thirty years, Rosemary; his stepdaughter, Renee (Brett) of San Antonio, TX; his three sons, Jay (Denise) of Lakota, ND, Ross (Tricia) of Watford City, ND, and John (Laurie) of Bismarck, ND; three grandchildren, Olivia (Sundeen) Dwyer of Watford City, ND, Addison Sundeen of Denver, CO, and Avery Sundeen of Watford City, ND; two great-grandchildren, Lavin Jean Dwyer and Rhep Thomas Dwyer; special friends, Gonzalo Ingle and Orville Tschardt, both of San Antonio, TX; and two cats, Fat Kat and Peaches.

Ole graduated from Lakota High School in 1954 as valedictorian of his class.  He went on to university graduating with a degree in geology in 1958 from Dartmouth College in the Ivy League.

Ole proudly served his country in both the reserves and as an active-duty officer with the North Dakota National Guard, retiring at the rank of Colonel.  Ole taught Sunday School, was a Cub Scout leader and a member of various organizations including the Jaycees, Elks and Masons.

Ole was blessed to have lived a widely varied life:  construction worker, grain buyer, farmer/rancher, and entrepreneur.  He was a proud owner-operator of a full-service Standard Oil gas station in Lakota; the Sunlac Inn, a full-service motel with a restaurant and bar, in Lakota; and along with Rosemary in San Antonio, a service company named “At Your Service” that they owned and operated together until retirement.

Many special holiday memories remain, including Christmas Eve family dinners at the Sunlac Inn with Ole and his parents serving ham, lutefisk, lefse and turkey with all the trimmings to anyone with an appetite including friends and strangers alike who were travelling for the holidays; and Ole’s annual Independence Day parties in San Antonio where he and Rosemary served many friends and military personnel.

Ole asks to be remembered as an occasional SOB but mostly as a humorous, compassionate, and kind person.

A Memorial Service will be held at Lakota Lutheran Church of Lakota, ND, on Friday, October 22, 2021 at 10:00 a.m.  Interment will follow at the Lakota Cemetery.  Visitation will be held at the church on Friday, from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service.

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