Tucsonans of Norwegian heritage who have contributed to the development
of Tucson include:
Norwegian immigrant, Henry O. Jaastad, became Tucson Mayor in 1933 and
served seven consecutive terms until 1947. He managed Tucson's fiscal affairs during
the depression when many municipalities verged on bankruptcy. As an architect he designed more than 50 public schools and 40 churches, including the award winning Moorish-Spanish facade on San Agustin Cathedral.
Dr. Orin J. Farness, a mid-western Norwegian-American who moved to Tucson, discovered in 1936 that the Sonoran desert was a source of Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis). In addition to a busy Tucson practice, Dr. Farness found time to serve many medical, community and educational organizations until his death in 1970.
Don Schellie, Tucson Citizen columnist and author of children's books, became an institution after writing non-political columns for the Citizen from 1960 to 1983. Proud of his mid-western Norwegian-American background, Schellie immediately established a following, who typically replied, "Oh, yes, I love to read Don Schellie."
In 1983, basketball mania took hold in Tucson when a mid-westerner with Norwegian roots, Robert Luther Olson ("Lute"), came to the University of Arizona. Coach Olson put Tucson and the University of Arizona on the map with winning basketball teams. In January 2000, Olson picked up win #600 as UA upset Stanford. In 2002, Lute was named to the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Mid-westerner George Hanson, Tucson Symphony conductor, came from a musical family with Norwegian ancestry. He received his bachelor's degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. As a young man, Hanson apprenticed with famed composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein.
Prudence Myrland Haney moved to Tucson in 1923. Her great uncle, Andrew Anderson from Norway, was a professor at the University of Arizona College of Law where her father, Otto Myrland, was a World War One G.I.student. Mrs. Haney was an elementary school teacher in Tucson and before retirement also instructed other teachers in the public school system. In 2001, Prudence was recognized by the Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission for development and teaching of historical facts about events important in Tucson's history. Before this time there was no mention of the community's history in textbooks. Mrs. Haney serves on a number of foundations and is a member of the Tucson Sons of Norway Lodge.
Gorm Loftfield, son of Karoline Loftfield formerly of Lyngdale, Norway, came to Tucson in 1918, seeking a favorable climate for his health. He began farming acreage on Sweetwater Drive west of Tucson. He was appointed Pima County Assistant County Engineer in 1926. In 1928, as a distinguished Tucson botanist, he traveled to Sonora, Mexico where he discovered a native rubber latex plant. Mr. Loftfield wrote several important monographs on native grasses and was considered a leader in his field of research. During this period, Mr. Loftfield was promoted to Valuation Engineer in the Pima County Assessor's Office from which he retired in 1965. While in Tucson he was an active member of four fraternal lodges. He passed away in 1978.
Les Nord arrived in Tucson in 1944 with his wife, Evelyn, to find a warmer, healthier climate. He first owned a gas station, and his wife was the first "Gasserette" in Tucson. Seven years later, following heart surgery, he sold the station. He later drove school bus for Amphitheater Grade School from 1952 to 1965. He loved his work and was loved by all the students. They daily learned courtesy and respect from him. Les passed away in 1974 leaving an affluence of friends in Tucson.
How fortunate for Tucson, when in the 1930s, the M. M. Sundt Construction Company founded by a Norwegian immigrant carpenter, came to Tucson to build a new Methodist Church located just outside the main gate of the University of Arizona. Since that time, landmarks built by the company include more than 50 University of Arizona structures including Centennial Hall, the Main Library, Skyboxes at Arizona Stadium, and the basketball facility McKale Center.Some of the Tucson landmarks include Ventana Canyon Resort, Kino Hospital, Pima Community College West Campus, underground missile silos, Davis Monthan runway, Tucson Community Center complex as well as other construction projects around the world.
Mr. John Sundt manages the Tucson Building Division of Sundt Construction and is responsible for the acquisition, administration, and execution of all commercial building projects the company performs in the Tucson Market. He provides direction and support to the pre-construction and construction phase efforts on all projects. Mr. Sundt has been with the company since 1991. In 2000 he was selected to manage Sundt's Tucson Building Division, and currently serves as Vice President and Manager of that Division. He is also active in the community serving on a number of foundations and boards.
Mr. Robert S. Sundt retired as President and the Operations Manager of Sundt Corp. on June 30, 1992. At the time of his retirement he was a member of Sundt Corporation's Board of Directors and the Chairman of the Board's Executive Committee.
A U. S. Navy veteran of World War II, he graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Business Administration. Bob began his career with Sundt in 1948 as a laborer. Bob managed Sundt's Building Division and was instrumental in Sundt's entry into the Phoenix market in the 1960s. Among his many accomplishments, Bob was President and Managing Director of Arabian Sundt Ltd., which operated in Saudi Arabia from 1975 to 1986. He was the President and CEO of M. M. Sundt Construction Co., which had Building, Heavy Highway and Power/Industrial Operations. In 1984 he became the President of Sundt Corp.
Mr. Sundt also participated in numerous Industry, Business and Community Activities. In 1993 he was the recipient of the "Founders Award," presented by the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Last year he and his brother Wilson, both of whom were Eagle Scouts, were honored with the Building Industry's "Good Scout Award" by the Catalina Council of the Boy Scouts.
Mr. H. Wilson Sundt retired as the Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of the Sundt Companies on December 31, 1999. A 1954 University of Arizona graduate in business administration, Sundt served in the US Army and later joined the family firm as a carpenter's apprentice and went on to study civil engineering. His experience as a carpenter--the trade of company founder M. M. Sundt--was more beneficial than book learning, he said.
Wilson became an Executive Vice President in 1965 and the President of Sundt in 1975. He took on the position of Chairman in 1978. Wilson was active with the management of Sundt's subsidiaries and International activities. This included the operations in Saudi Arabia, Chile, the Philippines and most recently, Sundt's participation in the joint venture that constructed the US Embassy in Moscow.
Wilson has been very active in the Tucson business community serving on a number of boards including the Board of Directors of Tucson Electric Power, retiring in 2003 after 27 years. TEP's Generating Station on So. Alvernon and Irvington Rd. will have a new name to honor H. Wilson Sundt, chairman and CEO.
Wilson has been recognized for his accomplishments with numerous awards. The University of Arizona twice recognized him, once in 1982 as a "Distinguished Citizen," and in 1989 with a "Medallion" awarded to "outstanding graduates contributing to business, public, cultural and educational fields in their community and nation." He has also been honored by Tucson High School as an outstanding graduate.
In 2000, he was the recipient of the "Founders Award," presented by the Tucson Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Also, last year he and his brother Bob, both former Eagle Scouts, were honored with the Building Industry's "Good Scout" award, given by the Catalina Council of the Boy Scouts. |
