James Gordon LUNDELL

1921 - 2004  (83 years)

• Name	James Gordon LUNDELL  [2, 3]
  	Faith was at the center of Jim?s life for all of his 83 years. Without doubt, this faith was his key for being a great father, husband, and friend. During a time when jazz and prohibition marked American life, newlyweds Gunnar and Helen (Nyquist) Lundell were settling into their home in East Orange, New Jersey. Gunnar worked at a machine shop in town, while Helen earned extra money serving as a nanny for neighborhood families. By the winter of 1920, Helen was expecting the couple?s first child. James G. Lundell arrived on July 19, 1921, becoming the oldest of three boys born to the Lundell family. When Jim was just one year old, his parents moved from New Jersey to Michigan. They settled on the state?s west side, in the lakeside town of Muskegon. It was here that Jim?s two brothers, Irving and Robert, were born. While their father spent his days working at the nearby resort owned by his great aunt, the boys would trek up the monstrous sand dunes that lined the Lake Michigan shoreline or, in winter, ski down these same steep slopes with wooden skis strapped to their feet. Jim and his brothers loved fishing as well, and together they explored all the lakes and streams in and around Muskegon. When the season suited, they also went blueberry picking together after school. They collected as many berries as they could and sold them to their friends and neighbors to earn spending money. Around the house, the boys had less pleasant tasks to complete. Jim?s designated chore was cleaning the bathroom. Needless to say, it was not one of his favorite tasks, especially since his mother was quite fussy about how she liked things done. After inspecting Jim?s work, she would almost always re-clean the bathroom herself, a move that frustrated young Jim to no end. He vowed that when he became a parent, he would not treat his children in such a way. At age 17, Jim left home and school to enlist in the Army Air Corps. Serving for five-and-a-half years, Jim was honored to serve his country both before and during World War II. He was stationed in the Philippines for much of this time, though he later moved to a new post in Australia. It was in Australia that Jim fell in love with horses and riding. Though he became quite an accomplished horseman, his focus remained on being an Army airplane mechanic. With much determination, hard work, and skill, Jim eventually rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. After being discharged from the Army, Jim relocated to Detroit, where he began an apprenticeship at General Motors. Jim enjoyed his tool & die work and had a natural talent for crafting things with his hands. Though Jim spent a great deal of time working, he also made time to pursue his interests, most notably his faith. On one particular day in 1947, Jim decided to attend a Bible meeting at Metropolitan Methodist Church. Bible in hand, Jim stood waiting for the bus at the stop near the YMCA, where he was living. Also standing there was Viola Richter, a young lady about Jim?s age who was on her way to Highland Park Baptist Church. Viola immediately noticed the Bible in Jim?s hand. She was intrigued. She decided to follow him and got off the bus when he did, even though it was not her stop. She then followed him into the meeting, where she spotted a friend of hers who was nice enough to introduce the eager Viola to her mysterious man. Jim and Viola hit it off right away and married one year after they began dating. They had a simple wedding on August 14, 1948 surrounded by their family and friends. For their honeymoon, the couple chose to vacation at Maranatha, a missionary resort near Muskegon. Jim and Viola returned to Detroit after the honeymoon and soon discovered that they were going to become parents. After living a short time in an apartment they purchased a home in the then mostly wooded Detroit North-West side. It was there that Paul James, Timothy Robert, Mark Irving, and Esther Lynn were born. They moved into a new home in Southfield in 1963 where they continued to raise their four children. They became active members of Highland Park Baptist Church in Southfield. Jim was a great father. Jim inspired his children with his mechanical skills. He would spend hours tinkering in his tool shop at home, crafting one thing or another, whether it was trains, airplanes, or tractors. Just recently, he rebuilt an antique tractor which is now being used by his son, Mark, at his hunting/farm in Wisconsin. His son Paul became a private pilot in 1969 and Jim pursued that same dream, becoming a pilot in 1981. Soon after, Jim encouraged his children, especially Esther, to take up flying lessons herself, which she soon did. Today his granddaughter, Melinda, Tim?s daughter is pursuing a career as a commercial pilot. In 1981, Jim and Viola joined a club called the Nomads. They traveled to destinations all over the world with this group, which owned its own 727 jet. Some of their more exotic stops included Africa and China. Jim embarked on all these travels while still working at G.M., though he finally retired in 1983 at the age of 62. In 1981, Jim and Viola moved to Saline, where Jim especially found himself indulging in all sorts of activities. Grace Bible Church in Ann Arbor became a second home to Jim, a place where he could always share in good fellowship and fun. Even at the age of 70, Jim was noticeably enthusiastic to be part of the church. He taught a preschool class, and entertained the children with pup petering, clowning and his ventriloquist talents. In order to perfect his singing, he even pursued voice lessons. In his 70s, Jim decided to go back to school. His interest in airplanes intrigued him to no end, so he enrolled in courses to become an airplane frame mechanic. In all his courses, Jim received high marks. His only frustration came with typing, as he did not care for computers and did not care to use whatsoever. Jim excelled in the reading portions of the class, and his son Paul helped with the sections dealing with electricity. His daughter Esther, meanwhile helped her dad study mathematics. In 1998, Viola and Jim celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Due to the large size of their family, the couple decided to have two celebrations. The first was held in Ann Arbor, the other at Maranatha back in Muskegon. Family and friends in both locations were overjoyed to attend the event and celebrate the successful marriage of two such extraordinary people. Throughout his life, Jim wanted to learn about the world around him. His curiosity for mechanics helped him understand the scientific world, while his passion for faith connected him to all else, including the people he loved. Jim's friends and family will always feel honored to have shared in his extraordinary life. James G. Lundell died Tuesday, November 30, 2004, at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. Members of his family include: his wife, Viola; his four children, Paul (Ilene), Timothy (Jean), Mark (Paula) and Esther (Derek) Hitchcock; nine grandchildren, Cherilyn Lundell, Julianne (Mark) Patterson, Greg (Anjanette) Lundell, Melinda and Jacqueline Lundell, Kristofer, Chelsea, Stefan and Gabriel Hitchcock; and two brothers, Irving and Robert (Millie) Lundell. Jim was preceded in death by his parents and a sister-in-law Donna. The family will receive friends on Saturday, December 4, 2004 from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at the Nie Lifestory Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 5, 2004. The family will receive friends one hour prior to service at the Grace Bible Church, 1300 S. Maple Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48103. Rev. Jack Glupker will be officiating. Burial will be at Bethlehem Cemetery. Please visit Jim?s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can share a memory or make a memorial contribution to the Grace Bible Church. Posted on Find a Grave created by: Memorial Searcher [1]
  Birth	19 Jul 1921	East Orange, Essex Co., New Jersey   [2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Census	1950	Living in Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan   [4]
  Death	30 Nov 2004	Ann Arbor, Washenaw Co., Michigan   [2]
  Burial	Bethlehem Cemetery, Ann Arbor, Michigan   [2]
  Person ID	I104476	Main Tree
  Last Modified	12 Sep 2022

  
  

  Family	Viola Estella RICHTER,   b. 1 Feb 1925, Lansing, Ingham Co., Michigan d. 6 Jan 2013, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Co., Michigan (Age 87 years)
  Marriage	14 Aug 1948	Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan   [2, 3]
  Family ID	F43955	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	12 Sep 2022

  
  

• Event Map

  Census - 1950 - Living in Detroit, Wayne Co., Michigan  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  James Gordon Lundell James G. Ludell is the husband of Viola E. Richter. Photos added on Find A Grave by: Sandye Baumer Strickland

  
  

  Headstones

  James Gordon Lundell and Viola Estella Richter Headstone James G. Lundell and his wife Viola E., daughter of Robert L. Richter, Sr. and Bertha E. Emenhiser, are buried in the Bethlehem Cemetery in Ann Arbor, Washtenaw Co., Michigan. Created by:memorial searcher Photo added by: memorial searcher

  
  

• Sources

  [S02329] Find A Grave Website. [S13267] Email from Sandye Baumer Strickland dtd 09-10-2022. [S6971] Ancestry.com: Michigan, U.S., Marriage Records, 1867-1952. [S13269] 1950 Census Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan.