By Vickie Denning, Communications Director
TVLC is filled with remarkable people. Because of the number and size of our services, we often miss out on meeting folks or having the opportunity to get to know them. Today we’ll meet John & Dee Sundby.
About you?
John was born and raised in the Minneapolis area. He graduated West High School where he participated in track and cross-country. A lifelong Lutheran, John was involved with Luther League during high school and worked for Augsburg Publishing and the Synod following high school.
Dee was born in Findlay, OH, the third of four children. The family moved to Tucson in 1952 due to her brother’s health problems. Dee had an affinity for music and started piano lessons in grade school, studied flute in Junior High, and joined band and orchestra at Tucson High School.
After some odd jobs, John got an apprenticeship as a stone mason. He studied mechanical and architectural drafting in night school and became certified as a structural welder. He was a crew foreman for various construction companies. In 1980, he joined Excel Energy in Minneapolis as a rigger/repairman in coal and nuclear power plants. He took an early retirement in 1996.
Dee worked in Dallas as a Geologic Assistant for 13 years and as a ticket agent for American Airlines for 14 years. After retirement, she moved back to Tucson to be near her family.
John and his first wife, Deborah, raised three children: Kris, John and Kari. Kris and her family live in Fayetteville, GA and John and Kari and their families live in Minneapolis. After John’s retirement, John and Deborah moved to Tucson to enjoy the weather and “let someone else shovel snow!” Deborah died in 2008 after a lengthy illness.
So how did John and Dee meet? Dee joined TVLC in 2008 and began working in the TVLC office. John joined TVLC later that year and volunteered to care for the TVLC campus to fill his time after the loss of his wife. Dee hosted a Memorial Day dinner for Via de Cristo friends and she invited John to be her dinner partner. John and Dee were wed at TVLC in 2011 with Pastors Greg Mannel and Mark Perry officiating.
Hobbies?
John and Dee share a love of gardening and travel, especially ocean cruises. John still volunteers at church, although he now leaves ladder-climbing to others! John is an aficionado of trains. Dee is an avid reader and weaver. She has had a pen pal from Germany for over 70 years. She began corresponding with Editha during grade school. They now stay in touch via phone and have visited each other several times. John and Dee plan to visit Editha and her husband again within the next year.
Pets?
John and Dee both love dogs, especially Bichons. They now have only Lizzie, their three-year-old cross breed, who is the “light of their lives.”
Favorite TVLC memories?
Dee sings in the choir, attends the Bible Study for Women on Friday mornings and plays her flute in worship as a soloist or with choir or groups. John gets together with TVLC friends for breakfast or coffee a couple of times each week. John is the man “behind” the pop machine in the NFLC lobby. He keeps it filled, services it and donates the proceeds to youth programs. Dee notes how much they love TVLC and have enjoyed watching it grow and become their extended family.
Have you enjoyed getting to know John and Dee a little bit better? Can I share your story? I’d love to hear from you! Contact VickieDenning@tvlc.org
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