Thelma A. Sunde

FOREST CITY – Thelma A. Sunde, 97, of Forest City died Saturday, November 22, 2014 at the Good Samaritan Society in Forest City.

Funeral services will be held 1:30 P.M., Tuesday, November 25th at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Forest City with Revs. Rod Hopp and Kevin Olson officiating. Burial will be at Madison Township Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 P.M., Monday at the Cataldo Schott Funeral Home in Forest City and will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

Thelma Arlene (Torkelson) Sunde was born July 2nd, 1917. She was the fifth of thirteen children born to Osmund and Bessie (Olson) Torkelson. She was born at Ottosen, Iowa and spent her early years there, in rural Thompson, and then Forest City. On February 23, 1940 she was married to Ingvald K. Sunde in Forest City. Ingvald and Thelma farmed first in the Thompson area and later near Lakota. In 1967, they moved to Forest City. Thelma had a strong faith in God that carried her through the many joys and difficulties that life brought. Her greatest treasures were her children and their families, hers and Ingvald's extended families and her many friends. She loved to garden, bake, sew quilts and study her Bible. Two years ago when she moved into Forest Plaza Assisted Living what she missed the most was being able to serve her guests coffee and goodies.

Thelma leaves behind her nine children, Beverly (Edwin) Wibben of Mt. Pleasant, Keith (Joan) Sunde of Clear Lake, Ivan (Susan) Sunde of Spicer, MN, Robert (Carolyn) Sunde of Forest City, Jerry Sunde of Joplin MO, Mary Paulsen and special friend, Pete Fox, of Forest City, Judy (Ron) Berry of Spirit Lake, Karen (CA) Springer of Garner and Ingvald (Sandy) Sunde of Forest City; thirty-two grandchildren and their families who blessed her with sixty-one great grandchildren. She is also survived by a sister, Julaine Albertson; a brother, Orrin (Marian) Torkelson; sisters-in-law, Bonnie Torkelson and Linda Kessler; and brother-in-law, Marvin Hanna. Her extended family that survives includes many nieces and nephews living in the U.S. and also in Norway.

Preceding her in death was her husband, Ingvald in August of 1975; her parents, Osmund and Bessie Torkelson; Ingvald's parents, Kornelius and Elida Sunde of Stavanger, Norway; ten of her siblings; and all eleven of Ingvald's siblings.