James Danial “Dan” Gonder died Aug. 30 at the DeKalb Regional Medical Center in Fort Payne, Ala.
He was born in Tennessee on Saturday, Jan. 12, 1935 to Thomas Warner Gonder and Sallie Foster Gonder.
  He was predeceased by his brothers Forest Gonder, John Gonder and Dee Roy Gonder, and is survived by his wife of 53 years, Mary Clarke Gonder, as well as his sisters Oma Shubert, Joanne Cunningham and Marie Stubblefield.  He is the beloved father of Tommy Gonder and Katy Gonder. “Pa” is the grandfather of Alex Gonder, David Gonder, Sophia Kujawski, and Christopher Kujawski, and the great-grandfather of Parker Gonder and Sarah Brooke Gonder.
 After spending most of his childhood in Viola, he served as an Airedale in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Saratoga and the USS Randolph. Following his naval career, he was involved in operating The Viola Milling Company, which was owned by his family. He was an accomplished musician, most notably playing trumpet and banjo in bands with friends and colleagues. He also enjoyed singing, as he had a tremendous baritone voice.
Memorial services are planned for Columbus Day Weekend in Guntersville and in Viola. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to the United States Power Squadron Educational Fund, Administrative Assistant, P.O. Box 30423, Raleigh, N.C., 27622. (www.usps.org/edfund/contribute.htm).
Southern Standard
(McMinnville, Tenn.) Sept. 11, 2013