Obituary for Walter Leroy Lundeen Jr.
Walter Leroy Lundeen Jr., age 92, a life-long resident of Trade Lake Township passed away on Thursday, July 28, 2022 at his home – the Lundeen Century Farm established in 1876. He is now farming in his eternal home.
Walter, known as Sonny, was born at home one-quarter mile from the homestead on April 27, 1930 to Ethlyne and Walter Lundeen, Sr. He was the oldest of three children born to that union, prior to Ethlyne having to move to Arizona due to her asthma. Walter Sr. re-married to Mavis Nelson and had three children making Sonny the oldest of six.
Sonny was a lifelong farmer and knew he would be from a young age. As a boy he spent much of his time on the farm– milking cows by hand and doing field work with horses. He attended Round Lake School, which he would walk to or ski to in the winter. After two years of high school he decided he wasn’t learning anything that would help him be a better farmer, so he quit school and went to work with his father’s uncle doing farm work.
He married his loving wife Margaret Nyren on March 10, 1956. Together they had six girls, and Sonny said he would never trade any of his girls for a boy.
He had a great sense of humor. His eyes would sparkle as he teased his grandchildren with stories about how he lost several fingers, scrunching up his face talking about the pig that got him (they still don’t know the true story). Rides in the tractor bucket were more exciting when grandpa lifted you all the way and pretended to start dumping, or when he brought you to the cow pond and started dumping you in. He pretended to be dead when found laying in the field once.
He rewarded his grandchildren for rock and weed picking with fun rides in the tractor bucket and taking them to the Dairy Queen for a treat.
Sonny enjoyed doing field work, hunting, and polka music. He was a voracious reader, finishing whole shelves of books at the Frederic Library. He was also a great activist and articulated many, many letters which his daughter Lisa dutifully typed out.
In his later years he would welcome his wife, daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to ride with him in the Husqvarna across his beautiful and well-worked land. “Occasionally” they were convinced to pick some rocks or weeds or apples. A “couple” of sticks or rocks became a heaping load.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Ethlyne; sisters Carol and Carla; and granddaughter Sonni.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret; six daughters – Linnea (Mory), Laurie, Lezlie, LaRae (Kirk), Lisa (Tony), Lynelle (Jim); six grandchildren – Isaac, Simson, Cacey (Nate), Traci (Ben), Seneca (Shabana), and Abeni (Nels); five great grandchildren – Megan, Scarlett, Millee, Laith, and Carl; brothers, Trevor, Brian, and Craig (Nancy); along with nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
Services will be held on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 11:00 AM (visitation 10-11 AM) at Crosswalk Community Church, Frederic (505 Old County Road W, Frederic).
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Frederic Public Library 127 Oak St. W., Frederic, WI 54837. You can make a donation online at https://www.fredericlibrary.org just scroll to the bottom of the page and click the donation button.
Arrangements were entrusted to Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home, Grantsburg. Online condolences can be made at www.swedberg-taylor.com
Walter, known as Sonny, was born at home one-quarter mile from the homestead on April 27, 1930 to Ethlyne and Walter Lundeen, Sr. He was the oldest of three children born to that union, prior to Ethlyne having to move to Arizona due to her asthma. Walter Sr. re-married to Mavis Nelson and had three children making Sonny the oldest of six.
Sonny was a lifelong farmer and knew he would be from a young age. As a boy he spent much of his time on the farm– milking cows by hand and doing field work with horses. He attended Round Lake School, which he would walk to or ski to in the winter. After two years of high school he decided he wasn’t learning anything that would help him be a better farmer, so he quit school and went to work with his father’s uncle doing farm work.
He married his loving wife Margaret Nyren on March 10, 1956. Together they had six girls, and Sonny said he would never trade any of his girls for a boy.
He had a great sense of humor. His eyes would sparkle as he teased his grandchildren with stories about how he lost several fingers, scrunching up his face talking about the pig that got him (they still don’t know the true story). Rides in the tractor bucket were more exciting when grandpa lifted you all the way and pretended to start dumping, or when he brought you to the cow pond and started dumping you in. He pretended to be dead when found laying in the field once.
He rewarded his grandchildren for rock and weed picking with fun rides in the tractor bucket and taking them to the Dairy Queen for a treat.
Sonny enjoyed doing field work, hunting, and polka music. He was a voracious reader, finishing whole shelves of books at the Frederic Library. He was also a great activist and articulated many, many letters which his daughter Lisa dutifully typed out.
In his later years he would welcome his wife, daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to ride with him in the Husqvarna across his beautiful and well-worked land. “Occasionally” they were convinced to pick some rocks or weeds or apples. A “couple” of sticks or rocks became a heaping load.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Ethlyne; sisters Carol and Carla; and granddaughter Sonni.
He is survived by his wife, Margaret; six daughters – Linnea (Mory), Laurie, Lezlie, LaRae (Kirk), Lisa (Tony), Lynelle (Jim); six grandchildren – Isaac, Simson, Cacey (Nate), Traci (Ben), Seneca (Shabana), and Abeni (Nels); five great grandchildren – Megan, Scarlett, Millee, Laith, and Carl; brothers, Trevor, Brian, and Craig (Nancy); along with nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.
Services will be held on Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 11:00 AM (visitation 10-11 AM) at Crosswalk Community Church, Frederic (505 Old County Road W, Frederic).
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Frederic Public Library 127 Oak St. W., Frederic, WI 54837. You can make a donation online at https://www.fredericlibrary.org just scroll to the bottom of the page and click the donation button.
Arrangements were entrusted to Swedberg-Taylor Funeral Home, Grantsburg. Online condolences can be made at www.swedberg-taylor.com