St. Mark Ohana Hosts Luau For Gundermann

By CAROL CHANG

When JoAnn Gundermann joined the faculty of St. Mark Lutheran School in 1967, there were 96 students in four classrooms – and her husband Milton was the new pastor. Since then, enrollment has doubled, classrooms were extended to cover grades K-8, and Rev. Gundermann retired in 1992. But the school’s favorite kindergarten teacher is still teaching – after giving a good start to more than 1,000 children.

Retirement is in the cards in 2014, however, and the school will throw a luau in her honor from 4 to 7 p.m. May 10, featuring a menu by the Buzz Mau Ohana. Tickets are on sale now, first-come, first-served, for $15 and $8 at the school office, though a roster will be maintained at the door instead of actual paper tickets. Seating is limited. For more information on Gundermann’s retirement celebration, call 247-5589.

“She’s the reason people choose to go to St. Mark’s,” a school parent once said of Gundermann, whose St. Mark’s career spanned 47 of her 50 years as an early-ed teacher. Among other attributes, she was known for visiting the homes of all of her students at the start of each year to get acquainted with the families.