Robert Frederick Lundy (1924 - 2013)

Born 30 Jul 1924 in Wallace, Shoshone County, Idaho, USA

Ancestors

Died 15 Mar 2013 at age 88 in Grand Junction, Mesa County, Colorado, USA

Biography

Robert Frederick Lundy July 30, 1924 – March 15, 2013

Local family members and friends, grieved for the passing of Robert Frederick Lundy, on March 15, 2013, in Grand Junction after several months of declining health. He and his wife (Frances Julia Lundy) had moved here in the Fall of 2004.

In 1989, Bob retired from the US Forest Service (Mammoth Lakes Ranger District). Soon thereafter, he and his wife became full-time "RVers" as it was their wish "to see as much of the country as possible" after his retirement. Over the next decade, they visited almost every state, including Mexico and Canada. It was not until health issues limited their RV lifestyle and required their move to Grand Junction in 2004.

Bob is survived by a sister, Rosanne Byrne, and eight children, Karen (David Hjelstrom); Sharon (Art Antonio); Patricia (Jim Beyer); Robert (Gina); Thomas (Jane); Michael (Mimi); Lori (Gary Parrott), and David (Kathy); 26 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

Robert F. Lundy was born in Wallace, Idaho, one of three children of Rutherford and Elizabeth (Fredericks) Lundy.

He grew up and remained in rural Idaho until the influence of World War II motivated him to join the US Navy in 1943. He served in the Pacific and attained the rating of Radioman 3rd Class. He saw action aboard the USS Centaurus, USS Thuban, USS Calvert, USS Monrovia and the USS El Dorado, receiving the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal (with 4 stars) and Philippine Liberation Medal.

Soon after his release from active duty Bob returned home and entered the pre-med program at Gonzaga University. During his time at med-school he began dating a nursing student (Frances Chatard) at the nearby Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Spokane, Washington. They were married on June 6, 1949.

Over the next 20 years, through various job promotions and transfers, Bob and his family relocated several times to major cities along the West Coast. However, his love for trees and mountains never diminished, each year camping trips were taken far away from suburbia.

Finally he had enough of the city life, quit his secure corporate job and moved to remote Mono County, California (their home for the next 20 years).

Bob was a devoted Catholic and participated in many church events and activities. His most memorable events were a visit to the Vatican in 1983, and the ordination of grandson, Father Timothy Hjelstrom, as a priest for the Denver Archdiocese in 2007. For the last eight years he was a member of the St. Joseph's Catholic Church of Grand Junction.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents; wife; a sister, Ruth Daiker, and two sons, Paul and John.

Funeral services will be held at the St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Grand Junction, on April 3, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. Interment will take place at the Veterans Cemetery of Western Colorado with full military honors at 1:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the St. Joseph Catholic Church building fund.

Published in The Daily Sentinel on March 31, 2013

Sources

• Lunday, Betty Petersen, “The Lundy Family and Their Descendants Book II, Print, 1993
• Find A Grave Memorial# 107597183