Frank F. "Sank" Sunstrom

August 2, 1911 - December 31, 2009

On Friday morning, December 25, 2009, Frank F. “Sank” Sunstrom passed away at the Evangelical Free Church Home in Boone, Iowa where he had resided for the past five years. Frank Fredrick Sunstrom was born in Boone, Iowa on August 2, 1911 to Frank W. and Anna (Olson) Sunstrom. Frank graduated from Boone High School in 1929, on the eve of the Great Depression, Boone Junior College in 1932 and the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 1940. Dr. Sunstrom then returned to his hometown where he established his dental practice. In 1941, he joined the Navy, serving in California as a dental officer until the end of World War II. On December 9, 1943, he married Esther Goodman. Following their marriage, they resided in the San Diego area until his discharge from active duty. Frank continued serving in the Naval Reserves until 1972 and practiced dentistry in Boone until 1981. A lifelong member of the Augustana Lutheran Church, Sank was also a member of the Noon Kiwanis Club, the Iowa Dental Association, American Legion, and the Elk’s Club. An avid Hawkeye fan, he also enjoyed golf, hunting, fishing, as well as finding creative solutions to his home projects. Sank especially enjoyed times spent with the family on Ten Mile Lake in Minnesota. His love of photography left for his family a documentation of many wonderful memories. Frank was preceded in death by his parents, Frank W. and Anna Sunstrom; sister Francis Mackey; and brothers Chuck Sunstrom and Jim Sunstrom. His wife, Esther, died in October of this year. Dr. Sunstrom is survived by his daughter and son-in-law Lynn and John Johnson of Boone; a son and daughter-in-law Dr. Jon and Deborah Sunstrom of Boone; grandchildren Jeff Johnson of Seattle, Washington, Joe Johnson, Anna Sunstrom and Wil Sunstrom all of Boone, and a great-granddaughter, Dory. In accordance to his wishes, his body has been cremated. A memorial service will be held on Thursday afternoon, December 31st at 1:00 p.m. at the Augustana Lutheran Church in Boone with Pastor Daniel Solomon officiating. Interment of the cremains will be in the Linwood Park Cemetery in Boone at a later date. Visitations will be held on Thursday at the Church, prior to the memorial service, from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service with the family present at that time to greet friends. Those wishing to express their sympathies through a memorial may direct their gift to the Augustana Lutheran Church, 309 South Greene Street, Boone, Iowa 50036.