Donald L Lundgren

Princeton - Donald Lee “Red” Lundgren, 92, #1 Grandpa, Old Farmer and Sugar Cookie Chef, passed away September 16, 2020 after a brief illness. Red was born August 4, 1928 to Alvin and Margaret Lundgren outside of Arlington, IL. He attended schools at Berlin Center and Malden. After a disagreement with his principal at Malden High School when he was in 10th grade, Red was asked not to return to school. Before being drafted into the Army in 1952, he worked on the family farm and hired himself out as a farmhand. Red met the love of his life, Elsie Mae Fiste, in 1946, when he was out riding his Indian motorcycle. After taking her for a 2 hour ride, he returned to her house to find her angry parents waiting for them. He then found out Elsie was only 15 and not old enough to date. Red told her that he would be back to see her when she was 16. When she turned 16, Elsie let him know and they were together for the rest of their lives. Red and Elsie were married on February 18, 1951 and celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary months before Elsie passed away on April 25, 2012. In 1952, Uncle Sam called Don to enlist for the Korean War. He started serving as an auto mechanic but soon transferred into radar. As a radar operator, the shack he worked in took fire every night so he requested a transfer. His commanding officer said OK but this was his final move and they sent him to be a cook. And there he stayed, developing his famous sugar cookie recipe he made by the garbage can full! When the farming economy tanked in the late 1960s, Red drove semis hauling cement for Schwerman Trucking Company out of Oglesby, IL. He often told his children while driving on Interstate 80 that he hauled the cement to build the interstate across Illinois. When the new J&L Steel plant was being built in Hennepin, IL, he quit trucking and took a job as a crane operator. He kept that job until he retired in the late 1980s. While his family was growing up, he and Elsie would load the kids into their various campers and travel across the United States. They visited hundreds of State and National Parks, battlefields and historic sites, planting the traveling bug in their children. Now even his grandchildren carry out the tradition. After retirement, Red and Elsie expanded their travels to include Europe. They even drove the Alaskan Highway all the way to the Arctic Circle. The many years they spent as Good Sams Club members were filled with adventures traveling with new and old friends. Red’s greatest joys were Elsie and his family. He never needed an excuse for a cookout or get together. He loved making funny pancakes and sugar cookies for his grandchildren. It wasn’t easy, but his granddaughters did manage to get his Army sugar cookie recipe from him, converting “some of this and that” into cups and tablespoons. The famous recipe lives on! Red is survived by his four children Lori (Tim) Arbet, Sherrard, IL; Amy (Robert) Gorman, Broomfield, CO; Wendy (David) Mussche, Wyanet, IL, John (Lisa) Lundgren, Zearing, IL and fourth daughter Laura Martin, Chicago, IL. He is also survived by his grandchildren Stephanie (John) Spraggon, Abby and Eric (Jerrielyn) Arbet, Joshua (Jessica), Luke (Alyse) and Zachary Gorman, Rachel (Tyler Bickett) and Matthew (Sarah) Denton, Emma Mussche, Tiffany (Travis) Grawe, Meghan (Chris Flowers) Mussche, James (Amber) and Halliegh (Max Ehley) Lundgren and great-grandchildren Zoey, Chris, Hailey, Kashius, Talon, Tatum, Ellie and Alexander. Due to COVID restrictions, private services for family only will be held Sunday, September 20, 2020 at Norberg Memorial Home. Burial services will be held on Friday, September 25, 2020 at Oakland Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family has asked that memorials may be left to the Bureau County Food Pantry, Princeton, IL. Online condolences and memorials may be left at www.norbergfh.com Arrangements by Norberg Memorial Home, Inc. & Monuments.

Donald L Lundgren

August 4, 1928 - September 16, 2020