Obituary of Myrbo Gunnulf

On Sunday, September 1, 2013 Gunnulf, age 75, passed away peacefully at home in Lacey, Washington after a battle with cancer. He was born September 22, 1937 in Oslo, Norway to Torolv and Astrid Myrbo. Gunnulf learned to ski as a toddler and as a young teen ski-jumped competitively. He was fourteen when the family emigrated to Prince George, B.C. In high school he learned to master new North American sports including basketball and football (but not hockey). He then attended Camrose Lutheran College in Alberta where he was captain of the football team. In 1958, he married Camrose cheerleader Juanita Haave, enrolling at UBC in Vancouver the next year. In Vancouver he was choir director at his church and sang in the esteemed Bach Choir. They had three children together and that marriage lasted twenty years. The family lived in Cambridge, England from 1966 to 1969 while Gunnulf earned his PhD in Philosophy from Trinity College at Cambridge University. The children have fond memories of traveling through Europe in a small car and creating brass rubbings in country churches. In 1970 the family came to Tacoma, Washington and Gunnulf began his career as a professor in the philosophy department at Pacific Lutheran University, where he taught full-time and part-time for 34 years. In 1979 he married Linda Morrison in Eastvold Chapel at PLU. They divorced in 1983. Gunnulf enjoyed many and varied interests including traveling, hiking, skiing, mountain climbing (summited Mt Rainier in the early 70’s), photography, cooking and reading. He held strong ties to his Norwegian roots and was eager to share Scandinavian traditions and meals with family and friends. He was the designated surkaal maker for all family holidays and could whip up a delicious blotkake. After his cancer diagnosis, Gunnulf and his partner Alice made the most of his final months and were able to travel to Victoria B.C., took a two week trip to Prince George through Jasper and Banff and accomplished his lifelong dream of traveling the Norwegian fjords on the Hurtigruten ferry system. He was a member (and past president) of the Scandinavian Cultural Center at PLU, of the Nordic Heritage Museum, and Sons of Norway He is survived by his loving partner Alice Thuring, Lacey, WA; his three children Carlin (Cody) Harris of Puyalup, WA; Melanie (John) Summerour of Gig Harbor, WA and Kevin (Leesa) Myrbo of Waterville, WA. Also survived by sisters Laila Kvamme, Oslo, Norway and Wencke (Merv) Angelski, Prince George, B.C.; brother Truls Vinde in Oslo and cousin Lincoln Olson in B.C. Gunnulf was a proud grandpa to eleven beautiful grandchildren and one great granddaughter. He was preceded into death by his parents Torolv and Edith Myrbo, mother Astrid Vinde and his brother Per Myrbo. The family suggests memorials may be made to Hospice of Providence Hospital or the Scandinavian Cultural Center at PLU. Friends and colleagues are invited to a memorial reception on Saturday, September 28 at 2:00 p.m. in the PLU Scandinavian Cultural Center. Please sign the Guestbook below.