Martin Sidney "Sid" Sundstrom

Martin Sidney "Sid" Sundstrom, age 84, of Ocean Springs, MS. died early Sunday, June 19, 2011, at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN, from complications of cardiac surgery. Sidney Sundstrom was a warm and loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends and the Ocean Springs community. Sid was born on June 27, 1926, at the Sundstrom homestead in Brooklyn Township near Beresford, South Dakota, to Simon and Anna (Johnson) Sundstrom. He lived at the family homestead until the late 1930's, when the family moved to a farm in Lake Crystal, MN. Sid graduated from Lake Crystal High School. He enlisted and served in the US Army during World War II and served in the Pacific tour. Soon after returning to civilian life, he began a lifelong career as salesman and then a sales executive. The career led him and his family to many places, including Mason City, IA; Indianapolis, IN; Niagara Falls, NY; Chicago, IL; West Bend, WI; Montgomery, AL; and Birmingham, AL. In March 1969, Sid and his family moved to Ocean Springs, where he lived the rest of his life. He like to travel and enjoyed Europe and many trips to the Pacific Rim countries. He was an active member of Christus Victor Lutheran Church and played a significant role in the establishment of Camp Victor, which was a leader in the recovery from Hurricane Katrina. Sid was well known and well liked in the Ocean Springs community. He was a longtime member of the America Philatelic Society and was the Vice President of the Gulf Coast Stamp Club. He enjoyed sharing yarns with the morning coffee group at Henriettas and Master Grill before they closed and finally at McElroy's. Sid was married twice and had two sons from his first marriage, Bill and Brian. He married LaVera Dulitz of Brownsdale, MN, on December 30, 1951. They were married for 54 years before LaVera died of gall bladder cancer in 2006. Sid and LaVera had four children: Katherine, Steven, Dawn and Ann. Sid is survived by all of his children and their spouses, Bill and Betty of Bloomington, MN; Brian and Judy of Orono, MN; Katherine of New London, Connecticut; Steven and Ellen of La Crosse, WI; Dawn Sundstrom and Mitzi Griffin of Greensboro, NC; and Ann Teitel of Port Washington, NY. He also is survived by eight grandchildren: Aricka, Bjorn, Birgitta, Dain, Ed, Shelby, Belinda and Clara; and eight great-grandchildren: Athena, Ebin, Eva, Anika, Johanna, Lucianna, Abbie and Judah. Survivors also include a brother Vernon Sundstrom of Madelia, MN, and a sister Elinor Daugherty of New Ulm, MN. Visitation will be on Thursday, June 23, 2011, from 6 pm until 8 pm, at the Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Home. On Friday, June 24, 2011, there will be a 10:30 am funeral service at Christus Victor Lutheran Church in Ocean Springs.. Burial will follow in Biloxi National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family prefers donations be made to Christus Victor Lutheran Church, 2755 Bienville Blvd., Ocean Springs, MS. 39564.