Adolf Gundersen Explained

Adolf Gundersen (October 8, 1865  - August 28, 1938) was a Norwegian born, American physician and founder of Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center.^{[1] [2] [3]}

Background

Adolf Gundersen was born in the parish of Åsnes in the traditional region of Solør in the county of Hedmark, Norway. He received his professional training in Norway and graduated from the Royal University of Oslo in 1890.

Career

Gundersen came to La Crosse, Wisconsin to join the medical practice of Christian Christensen. In 1893, he married Helga Sara Isaksetre (1867–1951), with whom he had eight children.^[4] Four of the sons, Gunnar, Alf, Sigurd B. Sr. and Thorolf, joined their father in his first clinic, which opened in 1930 on the outskirts of the city. In 1944, Gundersen's physician sons created Gundersen Medical Foundation (now the foundation supporting Gundersen Health System). His eldest son, Borge, was in charge of Røisen, the Gundersen estate in Solør, Norway.^{[5] [6] [7]}

Dr. Gundersen received Knighthood in the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olaf, first rank, from King Haakon of Norway in 1926.^[8] He was made an honorary member of The Medical Society of Oslo (Det norske medicinske Selskab) in 1933. He was a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and in the Scandinavian Surgical Society, an honorary member of the Christiania Surgical Society. He was also a Regent of the University of Wisconsin System. Dr. Gundersen was inducted into the Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame in 2013.^{[9] [10]}

Other sources

• Bergland, Betty A.; Lori Ann Lahlum (2011) Norwegian American Women: Migration, Communities, and Identities (Minnesota Historical Society)
• Hessel, Susan T. (1991) Medicine, the Gundersen experience, 1891-1991 (Gundersen Clinic, La Crosse, Wisconsin)
• Midelfort, H. Christine A Norwegian Immigrant's Accommodation To America: The Early Letters of Dr. Adolf Gundersen (Peninsula Nordic Study Circle Lecture Series. 2005–2006)
• Orgensen, Ole (1982) Adolf Gundersen og hans sønner" (Nordmanns-Forbundet, 90–93)
• Strand, A. E. (1905) A History of the Norwegians of Illinois (Chicago: John Anderson Publishing Company)

External links

• Adolf and Helga Gundersen Bronze Sculpture, Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center

Notes and References

1. http://www.snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Adolf_Gundersen/utdypning Adolf Gundersen (Store norske leksikon)
2. Web site: Celebrating our 125th Year of Caring. Gundersen Health System. March 20, 2016.
3. http://lacrossetribune.com/news/local/adolf-gundersen-inducted-into-wisconsin-business-hall-of-fame/article_10e1d6fc-a8a8-11e2-b541-001a4bcf887a.html Adolf Gundersen inducted into Wisconsin Business Hall of Fame (La Crosse Tribune)
4. http://www.norskedalen.org/index.asp?CompID=56&btnSubmit=ByFileCategoryID&cboFileCategoryID=139&cboFileSubCategoryID=95&cboFileCategoryIDMain=1 A Tribute to Helga Sara Isaksetre Teressa Gundersen (Helga Gundersen Memorial Bunad Show. Signe Gundersen Schroeder. April 2007)
5. http://www.dokpro.uio.no/cgi-bin/stad/matr50 Hedmark. Åsnes herad. Røisen (Matrikkelutkastet av 1950)
6. http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/wlhba/articleView.asp?pg=1&id=3348&hdl=&np=&adv=yes&ln=Gundersen&fn=Adolph&q=Dr&y1=&y2=&ci=&co=&mhd=&shd= "Physician is father of family of doctors"
7. Gunderson . A. Erik . Fall 2005 . The Gundersen Brothers and the Growth of the Gundersen Clinic . Massachusetts General Hospital Surgical Society Newsletter . 6 . 2 . 2.
8. News: The Wisconsin Historical Society Placed the Adolf and Helga Gundersen Cottage on the State Register of Historic Places. 21 October 2017. Wisconsin Historical Society. August 25, 2017.
9. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~wisobits/name/gj_gz.html#GundersonAdolphDr "Wisconsin Scandinavian Obituaries"
10. Web site: 2013 Laureates. Dr. Adolf Gundersen. Gundersen Health System. Gundersen Health System. March 20, 2016.