John Anton Sundby
June 3, 1933 - February 16, 2017
John Anton Sundby was born June 3rd, 1933, in Dawson, Minnesota, to Anton and Beret (Bertha) Westmoe Sundby, Norwegian immigrants who met and married in La qui Parle County, Minnesota. John died peacefully in his home with loved ones by his side at age 83, four months after his cured tongue cancer recurred in his neck. John never smoked or chewed tobacco. Doctors have related the cancer to lichen planus, an auto-immune tongue condition.
He was a much loved and respected member of his family, church and community. His life was based on kindness, loyalty, gentleness, honesty, and always speaking well of others -- a true officer and a gentleman.
John attended Dawson School his entire 12 years, graduating in 1951. John's father died when he was three, in the midst of the depression, and his mother raised three daughters and baby John through hard times. The church, school, and neighbors supported the Sundbys and helped raise John. He was active in band, choir, a men's quartet, and all sports, but loved basketball most of all. One of his fondest memories was competing in the Minnesota state championship basketball tournament in Minneapolis. That was in the days before high schools were classified by size, and the team returned to a hometown parade. In the final game of his high school career, he scored 27 points.
John spent seven summers working at the Dawson swimming pool, where he was a water safety instructor, lifeguard and exhibition diver. He attended St. Olaf College, where he swam and dived competitively, sang in the Viking Chorus, majored in Speech and Economics, and graduated in 1955. In these days of the Kingston Trio, John sang bass in a men's trio that toured regionally. While at college, he volunteered at WCAL radio station and dedicated songs over the airwaves to his mother.
Upon college graduation and receiving his commission as an Air Force officer, John went to pilot training in Malden, Missouri, and flew the T-34 and T-28. After primary training, he went to San Angelo, Texas, and flew the B-25 bomber, the same plane used in the Doolittle raid over Tokyo. After receiving his "Wings," he chose to go to helicopter training in San Antonio, Texas, where he trained in the H-13, H-19 and H-21 helicopters with his St. Olaf roommate, Jim Kintzi.
John and Jim ended up at Tachikawa Air Force Base near Tokyo, Japan, for 2 1/2 years, flying the H-21, a 22-passenger helicopter. They carried personnel and supplies to radar sites in the mountains, and conducted sea and land rescue missions.
Upon completion of his Air Force obligation, John founded Lake Line Helicopters, Inc. and Rushmore Helicopters, Inc. with two pilots he met in Minneapolis. John flew for the Minneapolis Mosquito Control, sprayed sweet corn for Green Giant and flew power line patrol in the Black Hills of South Dakota. He gave tourists rides over Hoover Dam, the Las Vegas Strip, Lake of the Ozarks and Miami Beach. He started the "Whirlybirds Over Mt. Rushmore" in 1961 and met his future bride, Kathy Wittnebel, at Powder House Lodge, where she was a hostess during the summers. Kathy said that she had never met a man who could fly, sing, swim, and dive. He was also a Lutheran and the St. Olaf ring impressed her! They grew up 26 miles apart in Minnesota, but had never met. John and Kathy married at Trinity Lutheran Church near Bellingham, Minnesota, June 30th, 1962, after she graduated from SDSU with a B.S. in Nursing.
In 1964, John flew Kathy to Bennett Clarkson Hospital in Rapid City to deliver their first baby, Jill. Four days later John flew Kathy and Jill back to Keystone. The story was on KOTA news and in the Rapid City Journal. He also was a flying Santa Claus in Minneapolis and flew Santa to Rapid City's Baken Park. John was proud of giving Paul Harvey a helicopter ride for "The Rest of the Story" radio show and especially proud of his perfect flying safety record.
John became a Realtor in 1966. Johnny was born in 1967, and Bobby in 1969. John felt very loyal to Rossum & Neal Realtors, at 2400 West Main in Rapid City, a company he stayed with for his entire 50-year career. Forty years ago, Kathy became his real estate partner. They were the first husband-wife real estate team in Rapid City and one year sold ten of the top twelve most expensive homes in Rapid City. John was named Realtor of the Year in 1979 and received the Don Zenk Spirit of Cooperation Award. He worked with Kathy until he died and loved every minute of it.
John was a Rotarian for 45 years and a former Rotary president who strongly supported Storybook Island. He was a life member of the Elks. He loved music, especially gospel and patriotic songs. He sang bass in the Shrine of Democracy Chorus (barbershop) for over 30 years, also the Calvary Lutheran Church Choir as long as he was able. He formerly led the children's Sunday School singing with his guitar. John was a long-time member of the Mt. Rushmore Society and an original member of the Mt. Rushmore Institute.
He was an accomplished photographer who photographed Mt. Rushmore and the Grand Canyon with a Speed Graphic 4x5 camera while flying his helicopter. He hung the heavy camera around his neck to snap the pictures. His aerial and ground photos were sold as postcards, calendars, and the Rushmore Commemorative Stamp posters. In 1995, he and his son, Johnny, published In God's Country, Photographs of the Black Hills and Badlands, one of South Dakota's top-selling books with over 42,000 copies sold. John autographed nearly every one.
A kind and gentle man, John will be missed by his wife of 54 years, Kathy, and his three children, Jill (Mark) Van Alstyne, Johnny (Stephanie) Sundby, and Bobby (Genae) Sundby. His six grandchildren will also miss him: Jay and Ted Van Alstyne, Evan and Emmy Sundby, and Parker and Sammi Sundby. He is also survived by one sister (Betty McFall) of Rapid City and numerous relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters (Arlene Sundby and Grace Spurbeck), three brothers-in-law (Donald Spurbeck, Tom Wittnebel and Forrest McFall), and one niece, Mary Spurbeck.