John Wendell Lundstrom

John Wendell Lundstrom passed away peacefully in his home on the morning of January 30th, 2021, due to complications from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He was born April 14th, 1942 in Berkeley, CA to Erma and James Lundstrom. He attended Harry Ells High School in Richmond, CA and Castro Valley High School in Castro Valley, CA. He was admitted to the University of the Pacific and after two years transferred to U.C. Berkeley, attaining a B.A. degree in Economics, and eventually obtaining his Master's Degree in Public Administration from Sacramento State University.

At the time of transfer to UC Berkeley, during a routine examination, John was found to have an acoustic neuroma, a noncancerous tumor on the main nerve leading from the inner ear to the brain. It was surgically removed at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, thus forcing him to take a year off from school for radiation treatment, recovery, and rehabilitation. He recovered, and, not being one to ever give in or feel sorry for himself, completed his undergraduate work at UC Berkeley, a testament to his determination and resolve.
During the mid to late 60's, John was actively involved in several philanthropic ventures, including volunteering for a year in the AmeriCorps Vista program, an anti-poverty program created by Lyndon Johnson's Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. Around the time the Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed, John spent some time volunteering with organizations whose primary goal was to assist members of the African-American community in getting registered to vote.

John settled down in Sacramento, California where he met his first wife, Sherry Lynn Anderson, the mother of his two children. Soon after, he was offered a position as an economic analyst for the California Employment Development Department (EDD), where he remained employed for his entire career. John's first marriage ended after twenty years, and then in 1991, he met the love of his life Sara Hallin. The two were married on September 27th, 1997. Eventually, he retired, and they relocated to her hometown of Eureka, CA.
Over the course of his life, John was an active member of the United Methodist Church. He attended both St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Sacramento, as well as First United Methodist Church in Eureka, where he sang in the choir and worked on several committees.

John is survived by his wife Sara Lundstrom, brother and sister Robert and Barbara Lundstrom, children Robert Lundstrom and Rebecca McDaniel, and five grandchildren: Parie Wood, Isabella Lundstrom, Marcus Lundstrom, Marley McDaniel, and Layley McDaniel.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation at www.bettychinn.org.