Traci L Gunderson

Traci Lynn Gunderson, 49, of Van Cleve, went home to be with the Lord on February 19th, 2019 at the Iowa River Hospice Home in Marshalltown, as her mother held her hand.   Memorial services for Traci will be held on Saturday, February 23rd, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. Visitation will be on Friday, February 22nd from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. also at the funeral home. For more information or to send a condolence, please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234. Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Traci and her family.   Traci was diagnosed with Stage IV melanoma in May of 2014. She fought a long and very tough battle for almost five years. During this battle, she connected with Jesus; found her faith. She was an inspiration to many. Traci never complained and kept a positive, cheerful attitude. The support system she had was amazing. She was a member of Liberty Church and loved her church family. Traci’s family is so thankful for those who prayed, visited, sent cards, gave gifts, brought food and flowers AND were her support on Facebook during this journey. We are so very thankful for the wonderful care she received at the Iowa River Hospice Home. She is now cancer free in her heavenly home with her Lord and Savior, Jesus. AMEN!   Born November 5, 1969 in Marshalltown, Iowa, she was the daughter of Rex and Cheryl (Jones) Gunderson. She graduated from Marshalltown High School in 1989. Traci received her license to practice cosmetology from the Iowa School of Beauty in Marshalltown in December of 1993. She graduated from Hamilton College in 2007 and received her Certified Medical Assistant Certificate from the American Association of Medical Assistants, Inc. on June 30, 2007.   After high school, Traci was a nanny in Concord, Massachusetts and Darien, Connecticut. On returning to Iowa, she became a cosmetologist and worked at Regis Salon and Smart Styles in Marshalltown. She was then employed at the Iowa Veterans Home as a Utility Worker and became an RTW/CMA. She decided to return to college to become a medical assistant. While attending Hamilton College, she was employed at Culvers. After receiving her Certified Medical Assistant Certificate from Hamilton College, she was employed in that capacity at Planned Parenthood in Ames and the State Center Medical Clinic. Traci was then employed as an Associate at Kmart for several years. It was at that job that she probably had the most fun! She lived in California for a short period of time. On her return home, she was diagnosed with melanoma. The rest is history.   Traci loved to read. She loved to watch movies. She loved to hang out with friends; to talk and laugh – she could talk a mile a minute! Most of all, Traci loved her family. The greatest loves of her life were her nieces and nephews. She always wanted children of her own, and since this wasn’t in God’s plan, she doted on her nieces and nephews; spoiled them rotten! During her battle with cancer, the biggest loss to her was not being able to do the things with them that she enjoyed doing so much. Traci especially loved taking them to the beach in the summer. She looked forward to the annual summer Jones family reunions at Lake Icaria by Corning, Iowa. Because of medications, Traci developed a super sensitivity to the sun and could have no sun exposure to her skin at all. This medication was discontinued within the past year. She was so looking forward to the 2019 reunion; spending those days in the sun and the evenings around the camp fire with her family.   Traci was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Jack and Louise (Knoll) Jones; her paternal grandparents, Ivan and June (Boyd) Gunderson; her uncles Jeff and Gordon (Butch) Jones and her uncle Roger Gunderson.   Left to cherish her memory are her parents, her brothers: Chad (Laray) of Gilman; Mark (Stacey) of Wolf Lake, Marshalltown; Jarod (Angie) of Melbourne; her beloved nieces and nephews – Elisha, Amber, Maggie, Gage, Emily, Maya, Chase, Madelyn and Kenzie; great nephews – Harrison and Gideon as well as aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends.