Linda Cooper Gunderson

Linda was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland and married Dave Gunderson in 1960 after she graduated from what is now Stevenson University. That same year Dave entered the Army, and they moved to their first home in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, near Fort Eustis. They later settled in Farmington Hills, Michigan with Dave’s career as a Ford executive. Over the years international assignments took them overseas; first to London, England in 1988 and then to Hiroshima, Japan, in 1991. They returned to Ann Arbor as Dave retired from Ford in 1995. Although they loved Ann Arbor, they moved to Birmingham in 2010 to be near family in their retirement years.

Linda was a career accountant throughout the years of raising her family and continued to apply her accounting skills long into retirement serving her church and community, first in Ann Arbor and then in Birmingham. She was always being asked to serve, usually in leadership roles. She was Treasurer of the Asbury United Methodist Women’s Circles for many years and served three years as Treasurer of the 300-member Birmingham Newcomers Club. She was also devoted to P.E.O., a philanthropic organization that supports women’s education. She joined P.E.O. in Ann Arbor in 2007, continued with a chapter in Birmingham, and was its chapter President in 2020.

Wherever Dave and Linda lived, they were active in their local church. They served as Deacons at the First Presbyterian Churches in both Dearborn and Farmington Hills, Michigan. Linda became an Elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor in 1997. There she took responsibility for the Lilly Endowment–sponsored residency program, which brought three recent seminary graduates every two years to help them adjust to pastoral duties. That ministry continues in Ann Arbor today. In Birmingham, Linda and Dave joined Asbury United Methodist Church. She served on many committees and stayed very active there until her passing.

Linda is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Dave. She is also survived by: her son John (Stacey) of Birmingham, Alabama, and their daughters, Katie (Dr. Michael Liu) of Atlanta, Georgia, and their daughters, Annie and Mary; and Kristin (Chris Hiott) of Trussville, Alabama, and their daughter, Hanley; Linda’s daughter, Susan Payne (Brett Payne) of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, and their son, Alex, of New York City; Linda’s brother-in-law, Jack Sutphin, of Ronan, Montana, and his sons, Eric of Worden, Montana, and Karl of Vallejo, California, and their families; and Linda’s brothers-in-law, Ronald Gunderson (Cindy) of Ellicott City, Maryland, and Gary Gunderson (Teresa) of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Above all, Linda was a proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She welcomed her first great-grandchild, Annie Jane Liu, in 2022, and two more great-granddaughters, Mary Liu and Hanley Hiott, in 2025. Her love for her family knew no bounds. She will be deeply missed by the Gunderson clan, 65 members strong across four generations of Gundersons and related families. They have gathered every three years for more than 50 years. She will be remembered for her kindness, generosity, and the gentle way she touched the lives of everyone she met.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Asbury United Methodist Church, 6690 Cahaba Valley Road, Birmingham, Alabama 35242. Visitation begins at 1:00 p.m., and the service follows at 2:00 p.m. Linda will be inurned in the Asbury Columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Lilly Endowment, the local P.E.O. chapter in your area, or to the charity of your choice.