Nancy Lindquist Memorial Service

August 30, 2025 @ 11:00 am

Nancy Ellen Lindquist (née Gunderson), died peacefully at her home in Saddlebrooke Arizona on May 27th, 2025 surrounded by loved ones. She was 91 years old.

Nancy was born in Schroeder, MN on December 30th, 1933, the sixth and youngest child of Norwegian and Swedish immigrants, Fred and Elen Gunderson. She grew up on the North Shore of Lake Superior where her father was a commercial fisherman and her mother raised the family and ran the family store and lakeshore cabins. Nancy attended and graduated from Grand Marais High School followed by training at St Lukes Hospital School of nursing to become a registered nurse. Nancy returned to Cook County to work as a RN first at Taconite Harbor and eventually as a dedicated surgical nurse at Cook County Hospital where she worked alongside Dr. Roger MacDonald for countless surgical procedures. After her nursing career she worked with her husband Virgil to help build the Lindquist insurance Agency.

Nancy was a lifelong resident of Cook County. She and Virgil spent most of the year at their house in Grand Marais and summers at their beloved cabin at Devil Track Lake, where they escaped the “hectic pace” of town. In 2000 Nancy and Virgil became snowbirds and spent the cold weather months in the Tucson Arizona area (Saddlebrooke) and summers at Devil Track. Beginning in 2015 they lived in Saddlebrooke year-round.

An important aspect of Nancy’s life was giving back to the community through volunteering and community service. Among other things, she served for many years on the Hospital Auxiliary board, was an active Lioness, and was highly involved with the Bethlehem Lutheran Church where she was given the honor of “Bethlehem Angel” in 2015. The community service continued in Arizona where she volunteered for the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Saddlebrooke community outreach, and was active with the Resurrection Lutheran Church.

Nancy was most happy entertaining and cooking for family and friends and was well known throughout the community as an extraordinary cook. She put on many memorable feasts for family and friends at her home in Grand Marais and at the cabin at Devil Track Lake, including for the latter, large summer gatherings of people from around the lake and town. The culinary gatherings continued in Tucson where she and Virgil were charter members of a Gourmet club that met monthly for 15 years. Nancy’s regional specialty, fishcakes, inherited through her father’s Norwegian heritage, became the backbone of community fundraisers as well as many dinners in Grand Marais and Tucson. Many people knew these North Shore delectables as simply “Nancy’s Fishcakes”.

Family was of utmost importance to Nancy, and she loved her children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was exceptionally happy during the holidays and other special occasions surrounded by family. At those gatherings she ruled the kitchen with complete joy, making sure all of the food was prepared perfectly for all to enjoy.

Nancy was preceded in death by Virgil Lindquist, her husband of 55 years, and her 5 older siblings, Ejner Gunderson, Carolyn Gunderson, Florence (Del) Moudy, Mae (Leonard) Gilbertson, and Junice (Kenneth) Bonin.

Nancy is survived by her children, Jeff (Kathleen Ryan) Vervoort, Jennifer Vervoort- Smith, and Barry (Shon) Lindquist; grandchildren, Jennifer Bescei, Tyson Vervoort, Kaitlin Vervoort, Harrison Smith, Parker Smith, Keith Lindquist, and Kyle Lindquist; and 8 great grandchildren.

Nancy’s passing leaves an immeasurable hole in the hearts of her family and loved ones, but we remember a life well lived and celebrate her full and rich 91 years.

There will be a celebration of Nancy’s life on August 30, 2025 at 11 a.m. at the Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Grand Marais.

In lieu of flowers, please make any memorial donations to the Bethlehem Lutheran church in Grand Marais.