Gunderson, Barbara Bates, 1917-2007

Barbara Bates Gunderson, Rapid City South Dakota, wife of Robert W., Washington, DC; co-chairman of the Citizens's Congressional Committee for Pres Eisenhower; Republican National Committee committee woman for SD;

BARBARA GUNDERSON OBITUARY
RAPID CITY - Barbara Bates Gunderson, 90, Rapid City, died at the Westhills Health Care facility Sunday, July 29, 2007 in Rapid City. She was born March 28, 1917, one of six children of Redfield publisher C.L. Bates and Helen (Lyman) Bates. She was graduated from Yankton College and began a working career on the Daily Press and Dakotan. Radio writing and broadcasting positions took her to WNAX, Yankton, where she had a daily program with Winnie Speece, the "Neighbor Lady"; WOW, Omaha; and KOTA, Rapid City. She was chief copywriter for the R.J. Potters Advertising Agency, Kansas City, MO, when she married Robert W. Gunderson in that city just prior to his departure for the European theater in 1941. The Gundersons lived in Omaha before coming to Rapid City in 1947. Mrs. Gunderson's community activities included service on the Board which united the two hospitals and further service as a Trustee during the building and first operations of Rapid City Regional Hospital. She was President of the Rapid City Library Board at the time of the building of the new library. She was President of the Rapid City branch of AAUW, the Women's Fellowship of First Congregational Church, receiving Honor's Day award from the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology for conspicuous community service and a "Woman of Worth" award from AAUW. In 1951 she began as a volunteer for the nomination of Dwight D. Eisenhower and became Republican National Committeewoman thereafter. She resigned her second term of that Party office when President Eisenhower appointed her as one of the first women on the Civil Service Commission. Mrs. Gunderson resided in Washington for two and a half years as one of the three-member governing board of the federal agency charged with all aspects of the federal personnel system. In that pre-Betty Freidan era, Gunderson developed the Federal Women's Award for meritorious women of the federal career service. She presided over the first Federal Woman's Award banquet when first distinguished career women were presented by their cabinet officers. Among the first awardees was a doctor in the Veteran's Administration, Rosalind Yallow, destined to later receive the Nobel Prize. Throughout her term of office Mr. Gunderson visited her almost monthly to enjoy the Capitol environs. As Commissioner, Mrs. Gunderson traveled extensively, visiting federal offices and addressing many audiences. She spoke at the University of California, Los Angeles Symposium on Women and, after her term, consulted with federal departments on the Equal Opportunity Act. She was vice-chairman of the President's Advisory on Personnel under President Johnson, the public member of the Retirement Board of USIA which determined the career advancement of these State Department employees. In 1994 Mrs. Gunderson was the only woman participant in an Eisenhower biographical program, "The Contentious Years of The Presidency" televised on the A&E Channel with narrator-host John Chancellor. She was a candidate for Republican nomination to the U.S. Senate in 1973. Mrs. Gunderson was a member of Chapter BF-P.E.O. and a morning study group of Christian Women. She and Robert Gunderson were avid travelers, visiting European and South American countries during the years she was a Trustee of People-To-People. A devoted reader, Mrs. Gunderson wrote a column for the Rapid City Sunday Journal for a number of years. Articles by her appeared in Saturday Evening Post, American Home, McCall's magazine, and short stories in Seventeen magazine. She published two novels. She is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Edward (Lois) Morton, Los Angeles; and Mrs. John (Jeannette) Billings, Aberdeen, Washington; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Robert W. Gunderson; two brothers David T. Bates and Lyman F. Bates; and one sister, Mrs. Howard (Betty) Larrington. Services will be at 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 3, 2007, at the First Congregational Church with Rev. Ted Huffman officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to services at the church. Mrs. Gunderson has made many bequests to Rapid City causes and memorials may be given to the donor's favorite Rapid City worthy charity. Services are under the direction of the Osheim-Catron Funeral Home. Friends may sign the online guest register and offer condolences at www.osheimcatron.com.