Gunnar Donald Anderson

Gunnar Donald Anderson, age 95 of Sonoma CA passed away on April 26, 2022.
Gunnar was born to Sven Gunnar Anderson and Margaret Hultien Anderson on March 3, 1927
in Berkeley, California. He served his country as a member of the United States Coast Guard
from 1945 to 1946.

After two years of study at the California School of Fine Arts in San Francisco, he attended
Los Angeles Art Center School and in 1951 earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts
Degree. From 1951 to 1953, he worked as an art director for the advertising agency McCann
Erickson in New York City, joining Cunningham and Walsh in 1953, moving to Batten, Barton,
Dustine and Osborne in San Francisco in 1955. Beginning in 1963, Gunnar enjoyed a freelance
career specializing in portraits of children in oil. He also painted beautiful landscapes and WWI
airplanes, many of which were published in flying magazines. He was the illustrator for the
children’s book Oscar Lincoln Busby Stokes.
 

Gunnar and Virginia Fletcher Bullock were married in Philadelphia in 1953. They lived in New
York City and later relocated to Sonoma, California where they raised three children,
Greta Battaglia (Mark), Karin Gare (Robert), Paul Anderson (Anya) and three grandchildren;
Natalie, Kristin and Thomas. Virginia passed in 2000 after which Gunnar met Florence Rose
Rosenberg and they married in 2005 spending many wonderful years traveling together until her
death in 2019.
 

Gunnar loved the outdoors. Fishing took him from the lakes and ponds of California and
Canada to the oceans of Mexico and Alaska. He also loved flying. He built his first glider in his
garage and spent weekends flying with other glider pilots. He also built remote control WWI
model airplanes and took great joy in flying them, except for an occasional crash.
Viniculture became an interest for Gunnar, and he planted a small vineyard and created
award-winning homemade wines. His ribbons and awards covered a wall in his winery. He
loved having a glass or two of his own vintages on his deck overlooking the valley. He was a
member of Bohemian Club and took pride in creating special works of art for the Club.
 

Per Gunnar’s wishes there will be no service. The family would like to thank the loving staff of
By the Bay Hospice and Sonoma Greens Assisted Care for all they did in the last years of
Gunnar’s life. In remembrance, the family asks that any charitable donations be made to
Hospice, Compassion International, or a charity of your choice.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gunnar Donald Anderson, please visit our floral store.