Virginia Mae Gunderson

Virginia “Ginny” Gunderson, of Lakeport, CA, died of natural causes on March 11, 2023, at her home in San Diego, CA. She was 97 years old.

Born on September 3, 1925, to Pearl Lawrence and William Jennings Adams in Los Angeles, CA, Ginny along with her younger brother Nelson Jennings “Doc” Adams (1928-2017) went to live in Cache, OK at the age of 5 with their grandfather, James Albert Wilson Adams (a former Texas Ranger) and aunts Rush and Juanita Adams.  As a child and young woman, she loved dancing and was an “extra” in several Shirley Temple movies.  Ginny attended college at Redlands University and Fresno State in CA, where she met her husband, Joseph Calvin Eischen.  After they married in 1946 and welcomed three children, she worked as a court clerk for many years in southern CA and later in northern CA.  Joseph predeceased her in 1980.

In the early 1970s, Ginny moved back to Lawton, OK, with her daughter Karen, to be with family. There, she met her second husband, Marion “Gundy” Gunderson, who was stationed with the National Guard at Fort Sill. In 1974, Ginny and Karen moved back to California and settled in Santa Rosa. After a long-distance relationship, Ginny and Gundy wed in 1984. Ginny and Gundy made their home in Sidney, NE for many years where she worked in data entry at Cabela’s.

Upon retirement, they spent several years as camp hosts in northern CA, living in their Minnie Winnie and going on adventures. Ginny and Gundy permanently relocated to Lakeport, CA in the late 1990s, where they enjoyed friends, music, gardening, and spending time with their Norwich Terrier, Eric the Red. Ginny was a lifelong Methodist with a smile and hug for everyone. She loved singing, and in later life, took up painting and enjoyed time in her backyard studio that Gundy built for her before his death in 2017. Her paintings of flowers and California landscapes were featured in four gallery showings including a solo show.

Ginny is survived by her three children: Stephen Eischen, of Santa Rosa, CA, Kathleen Eischen (Peter),of Franklin,  NC, and Karen Eischen, of Santa Rosa, CA; grandchildren:  Rana Salzmann (David) of Chicago,  IL, Jay Hutchinson (Dawn), of Middleton, WI; Em Perry, of Santa Rosa, CA;, and Jeremy Gunderson;  great-grandchildren: Josephine Salzmann and Jasper Hutchinson- Wohn; and stepsons: Bryan Gunderson (Dawn), of Musctine, IA, and David Gunderson, of Kearney, NE.

According to her wishes, Ginny’s ashes were placed with Gundy’s at the Veteran’s Memorial in Hartley Cemetery, Lakeport, CA on April 4, 2023. 

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