Obituary Picture

And to think that this is who I have been complaining about to anyone that will listen...

My Dad

OLOF EBERHART ZUNDEL

Olof was born in Plymouth, Utah on December 5, 1919 to Eberhart and Laura Zundel. He married his eternal sweetheart, Ida Smith, in the Logan, Utah Temple on January 17, 1941. Ida was the love and purpose of his life, even beyond her passing in May 2009. They were reunited on Saturday, January 28th.

Olof is survived by three (3) children; Craig Eberhart Zundel (Jana), J. Scott Zundel (Vickie), Mary Catherine Lewis, 11 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and brother Neil Zundel (Jeanne), sister Helen Wallen, and sister in law, Sue Zundel.

Olof’s life is a wonderful example of service to family, church, country, and community. It was characterized by great strength and leadership.

He was a High Priest in the Mueller Park 5th Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in many church positions, including Gospel Doctrine Teacher, High Priest Group Leader, and even at the time of his passing his calling was to assist with the missionary prep class. He and Ida also loved their time of service in the Bountiful, Utah Temple.

Olof graduated from Box Elder High School and attended Weber State College. He served in the US Military from 1942 – 1945 as Battalion Communications Chief, Fifth Air Force Aircraft Warning in Australia, New Guinea, and the Philippines. He witnessed up close and personal the brutality of war.

Upon returning from service overseas, he worked as a salesman for Fred M. Nye Co. in Ogden, Utah. He and Ida later owned and operated Zundel’s His and Hers, men’s and women’s clothing stores, in Brigham City, Promontory Point, and Bountiful.

During the time Olof and Ida lived in Brigham City, he served as Chairman of the Brigham City Merchants Committee (1952), VP of the Brigham City Chamber of Commerce (1957), member of the Brigham City Council (1960-1964), founder and President of Brigham City Off Street Parking Corp. (1963-1965), President of the Brigham City Rotary Club (1964), and Chairman of the Box Elder County Republican Party (1964-65) and Brigham City Downtown Redevelopment Committee (1964). He served as Mayor of Brigham City Utah from 1966-1973. He was regional directory for the Department of Heath and Human Services under the Reagan Administration. he was the first president of the first Brigham City Little League.

He was the first President of Golden Spike Empire (1969-1971). He was a board member of McKay Dee Hospital Foundation, Utahans for Effective Government, and Utahans against Pornography.

He and Ida lived in Brigham City, Utah until 1973. After leaving Brigham City, Olof served on the Utah Public Services Commission (1973-1979). He served as Executive Director of the Utility Shareholders Association of Utah from 1982 to 1984. In 1975, they moved to Bountiful, where he lived until his death.

Ole was loved, admired, and respected by all who knew him. He was known for his beautiful flower gardens, both in Brigham City and Bountiful. He was an example to his family who loved him and will deeply miss him and his handsome smile.
Graveside Services, only, will be held at noon on Thursday, February 2, in the Brigham City Cemetery under the direction of Russon Brothers. Ole will rest there next to his beloved Ida.

We are grateful to the angels who cared for Dad until the end. The family wishes to express heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated service of the Mueller Park 5th Ward. We will be forever grateful for their love and tender care to our parents.

Change of Address

My dad needs a change of address card. After almost 40 years of 2139 Ridgewood Way, at Maple Hills in Bountiful, he has moved to a Care Center. Not just any care center for Ole. It is Five Star. I don't think he is going to the post office to get a card. He is not interested in staying. If he could arrange it, he would like to see his banker. I think he wants to get rid of that sustitute trustee amendment to his will. I think he also wants to get rid of his kids. If he could get the attention of "the bosses" at the care center, he would like them to help him "to get the Hell oughta there!" He isn't interested in that little button that he can push for help, as long as he can yell til they come, he is fine. When I went to see him today, he was in a new room. Evidently his neighbors got tired of the "Shut ups" going on between him and the guy next door. Did I really think my life was going to get easier with this move?????

Lucca Lewis

We are expecting grandchild #15. Lucca Lewis will arrive in March. She is our 4th granddaughter. We are VERY excited!

January is for Jennifer

Happy Birthday Darling Daughter! This is a little late, but no less heartfelt. You are 32 years young! You are still fun, generous, caring, and thoughtful. We hope this is a wonderful year for you filled with good health and happiness. Very nice of Craig to cook Prime Rib for you. Made for a very special birthday party.

"Higher Gramma"

William Eberhart Mathie

Bold Protector

Two weeks of no alarm clock (except the night my phone alarm went off at three AM which is the time I had to get up to come and see you), adorable grandchildren, a brand new beautiful baby, warmish weather, AND not in my house between Christmas and New Years'. It was an awesome trip, and I loved every minute of it.

Thank you, Gramma

Thank you, Gramma, for coming out to take care of all of us! We are so glad you got to come meet our new brother, William, and take care of mom while she recovered. Our favorite thing about you coming (besides the Legos and early morning snuggling) was jumping on the tramp with you and also your funny bedtime stories. Mom says she is missing her nanny and housekeeper but we think she needs to start pulling her weight around the house. She made you do too much work! We are so glad you got to come, we know that you are so busy at home and especially because we know you missed Maddie. Thanks for all you did and we can't wait to see you this summer!!
love,
Max and London
(William misses you, too! He cries a lot more now that you're gone...)

Unforgettable

I am not proud of the fact that I have sorely neglected family history. I am grateful for the fact that I have now fully embraced it. It has been such a comfort and blessing to me. We did some work about ten years ago because one of Bill's non member relatives prepared a pedigree chart. A lot of the work had already been done, but we did what was left. It was all on his dad's side. We had a dead end on his mom's side. These days we are now saying "No" to dead ends. We first discovered Hattie Hallberg in Kansas City, Missouri, Jackson County in 1895 married to Enoch Malmfeldt. They are the parents of May, Bill's mom. We were somewhat aware of May's siblings, but none of the work had been done for them. We then HAD to discover Hattie's parents. I made family trees for all of the kids for Christmas, and there couldn't be any blanks. So after hours and hours in SL at the Family History Library with a very patient and instructive Swedish consultant (she was convinced that I had to learn Swedish before she would let me go). We found Hattie in Sweden with the rest of her family. Of course, then she was Hedda Christina Bengstdotter. We found her parents Bengt Johan Anderrson and Olena Jakobsen, and all of her siblings. She came alone to America on a boat named the Orlando when she was 15. We have a picture of her name on the log of the boat. Eventually we found the whole family reunited in Osage, Kansas in 1885. So finally, after a comedy of events which included temple recommends expired by a day, wind storms that cancelled church and recommend interviews, sinus surgeries, and two week trips to Florida, we made it to the temple last night. Isaac, our amazing grandson that just turned 12 last April, made his very first trip to the temple to do baptisms for the dead. He was inside of the temple with his parents for the very first time. Liz and Josh joined us for the very special event. Isaac stood in for the men with Jeff baptizing and confirming, and Liz stood in for the sisters, with Josh baptizing and confirming. So about a dozen women and a dozen men were baptized and confirmed. These precious spirits included Bill's aunts and uncles, his grandparents and his mom's aunts and uncles. We enjoyed a very special spirit. Like I said.....the evening was "Unforgettable."

"The Songs They Could Not Sing"

While I spent a wonderful two weeks with Lindsay, Morgan, Maximus, London, and William Mathie in Gainesville, Florida, I was practicing my usual habit of reading The Ensign while I blow dry my hair. I am a little behind and still reading the Conference Issue. I came across Elder Cook's talk and thought, "Oh great, this one is going to make me cry". But I was wrong. This is the talk about problems and adversities, and a lot of talk about The Titanic. In the end of his talk he says, "A unique challenge for those who have lost loved ones is to avoid dwelling on the lost opportunities in this life". He says it has been described as "dying with your music still inside you". While it is very hard to know that our grandchildren will miss knowing and spending time with their "papa" and all of the wonderful things that it means to know him and spend time with him, My Guy sang all of his songs. He never missed an opportunity to live life to the fullest. He would have chased more rainbows, but he didn't miss any chance to chase the one that was in front of him. I believe that is his greatest legacy. Somehow it helps. What I learn from his example is while I can't be spot on every minute of every day, I can aspire to do most things, mostly right, most of the time.