Gudrun Sophie Storsand Lochhead

RONAN — Gudrun Sophie Lochhead died at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 27, at St Luke Extended Care in Ronan. Gudrun was preceded in death by her husband, Ian Smart Lochhead, in June 2004; her son, Jack McDonald Lochhead, in September 1982; her parents, Marie Owre and Bjorn Storsand, both originally from Norway; her brother, Ralph Storsand, and sisters, Ruth Storsand and Margaret Feaver.

Gudrun was born in Marysville, Calif., Dec 1,1915. Her father, an engineer, spent many years away from home, working and living in Malaysia while Gudrun and her three sisters, a brother and their mother, lived in Seattle. When the family moved again, Gudrun spent high school years in Benicia, Calif.

Her sister Helen remembered, "She was a member of Eastern Star, as was Margaret, and I can remember when they were 'star points' and wore beautiful evening gowns to their meetings. I was only nine or 10 and I watched their preparations with much interest and delight."

After high school Gudrun attended Armstrong Business College in Berkeley, Calif., and worked in the office of the Boy Scouts of America. During the Second World War she worked for Standard Oil of California as a working mother.

Gudrun and Ian were married in Albany, Calif., on Sept. 8, 1938, and made their home in Berkeley where their four children were born. In 1958 they moved to El Cerrito, and in 1979 they moved to Watergate in Emeryville, Calif., where they lived until 2003 when they moved to Polson.

A wonderful and loving mother, Gudrun could do anything from sewing, to upholstering to remodeling the house. She and her husband loved ballroom dancing and square dancing, usually on a regular basis. A classical violinist and pianist, she loved to play and sing a variety of music, especially with the family around the piano.

In the company of her favorite fisherman, she developed into a fisherwoman of some note. She and her husband spent many vacations here in Montana on Flathead Lake, in Northern California and in Oregon, pursuing their love of fishing. She was the one who hooked a 40-pound salmon that took both of them to land. They were in their 80s.

Gudrun is survived by: a sister, Helen Robinson, of Oconomowoc, Wisc.; a daughter, Sunnie Jones (Mel) Dobson, of Polson; a daughter, Mary (Wolfgang) Schilder, of Santa Rosa, Calif.; a son, Neil (Maria) Lochhead, of Pittsburg, Calif.; five grandsons, Steve and Bryan Hutchins, of Whitefish, Roger Hutchins of Cottonwood, Ariz., Ronald and Raymond Lochhead of Brentwood, Calif., and nine great-grandchildren.

Cremation has taken place and no services are planned. Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory was in charge of arrangements.