Richard Eugene Gunnarson, MD, passed away on July 31, 2012, in Sioux Falls, SD, following a lengthy illness. He was 76.

Richard Eugene was born on April 4, 1936, at Moe Hospital, in Sioux Falls, SD. As an infant he was adopted from Lutheran Social Services by Gerhard and Tilla Gunnarson who lived on a farm near Veblin, SD. He was their only child. Their farm had no running water, indoor bathroom, electricity, or telephone.

Richard learned his work ethic as a young child when, in addition to the various responsibilities of farm life, he began driving a tractor at age five. Richard's elementary education was at a one-room rural school, Norway #3, in Robert's County SD. He rode horseback for the 2-1/2 miles to and from school.

In 1950 Richard was confirmed at Bethel Lutheran Church, one of the 14 rural churches in Robert's County founded by his paternal grandfather, Rev. T.A. Gunnarson. Sisseton High School was 20 miles from their farm so Richard roomed in town during the week and returned home for weekends to help on the farm. He graduated in 1954. After graduating from high school, his freshman year was at South Dakota State College, majoring in Engineering. He transferred to Augustana College for his sophomore year. While at Augustana he sang with the choir, in quartets, and performed in various stage shows. He graduated with a double major in Biology and Chemistry in 1958.

Richard needed financial help for college tuition and expenses. When he began at Augustana he lived in the South Dakota Children's Home for room and board while mentoring the young boy residents. He surfaced blacktop roads, delivered caskets for Dakota Casket Company, constructed metal grain bins, and drove gravel trucks. He was the first nightwatchman for Lewis Drug Southgate, a substitute driver for dairy delivery, a custodian for a bar, and a construction worker.

On June 7, 1959, Richard married his college classmate Jacquelyn Jones, who graduated from Augustana with a BS in Nursing. She earned a PHT (Putting Hubby Through) degree working as a nurse during Richard's medical education.

In 1961, Richard graduated from the University of South Dakota School of Medicine. He transferred to the University of Wisconsin Medical School, in Madison, for his junior and senior years, and graduated with his MD in 1963. He returned to South Dakota for a rotating Internship year (1963-1964) at Sioux Valley Hospital.

During the Viet Nam War he served as a Captain and Flight Surgeon in the United States Air Force from 1964-1966. He was stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base and was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal at the completion of his service.

After experiences in the Air Force, Richard chose further speciality training with a Residency in Otolaryngology for the next four years at the University of Minnesota. He was trained in diseases and surgery of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT), facial plastic and reconstructive surgery, and also bronchoesophagology. He received Otolaryngology license #6 for the state of South Dakota, and was the first physician in the state to perform a mediastenoscopy procedure.

He began his ENT practice in Rapid City, and after nine months moved to Sioux Falls. In the spring of 1971, he opened his ENT office in a rental house near Sioux Valley Hospital. In addition to his busy patient schedule, he presented teaching lectures to medical students, interns, nurses, and those in other medical fields. He served as president of the 7th District Medical Society from 1975-1976. He was one of the founding physician partners of the Sioux Falls Surgical Center, built across from McKennan Hospital.

The beginning leadership of the Sioux Falls Men's Bible Study Fellowship met in the Gunnarson home, and Richard served the first four years as a men's Discussion Leader in BSF.

His favorite hobby was fishing and he also enjoyed woodworking. He had an ability to create almost anything with perfection. Through the years, he and his wife Jacquelyn traveled to medical meetings in a variety of locations throughout the country. However, he said his favorite travel experiences were their personal trips to Israel, Sweden and Norway.

He retired in 1996, completing 25 years of serving in the area as an Otolaryngologist. After retirement, his own physical health began to deteriorate.

In 2003, Richard signed papers giving permission to open his sealed adoption records. Information revealed that his birth mother was Genevieve Hjelm from rural Sanborn County, between Mt.Vernon and Letcher, South Dakota. After Genevieve relinquished her first born son for adoption in 1936, she moved to the state of WA. Following WWII she married and had sons Ronald in 1948, and Richard in 1955. Richard Eugene, who had been raised as an only child, finally realized that he had two brothers and all three were able to meet together in October 2009.

Richard is survived by his wife Jacquelyn; son Mark (Stacy) Gunnarson and their three children Jade, Noah, and Dane, Sioux Falls; daughter Lynn (Joseph) Dahlstrom and their two children, Alexandria and Isaac, Hainesville, IL; son Paul Gunnarson, Sioux Falls; brother Ronald (Val) Egan, Olympia, WA; brother Richard (Rebecca) Egan, Danville, CA; brother-in-law Claude (Annamaria) Jones, Des Moines, IA; sister-in-law Cynthia (Terry) Johnson, Flandreau, SD; sister-in-law Jeanne (Tom) Manzer, Brookings, SD; plus several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his adoptive parents Gerhard and Tilla Gunnarson and his birthmother, Genevieve Hjelm Egan.

Memorials may be sent to the South Dakota Children's Home Society, 801 North Sycamore Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57101.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, August 4, 2012, at Central Baptist Church. Visitation will be at the church from 6:00 to 8:00 pm Friday. At 7:00 Friday evening, there will be a time of sharing followed by a prayer service, also at the church.