David and I met when he worked for Senator Hatch and I worked for President Reagan. Later we had offices next to each other. Recently, as retired health policy wonks we shared lunch and book recommendations. He was best man I ever had the privilege to work with.

Modern Medicine Dr. Val Sundwall, David's father Why, in our society, does longevity have such priority? With life so full of pain and grief, should not the end come with relief? But with technology of this modern day, it's getting harder to pass away. It's uncertain which will go first, health insurance benefits, the patient, or the purse. In addition to the cost, the quality of life is often lost. Consider some of the things with which we might contend, before we reach the final end: cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, artificial respiration, CT scans and angiograms, intubation and aspiration, organ transplants and dialysis, neuromuscular paralysis. It is amazing to what lengths we've gone to postpone our trip to the great beyond. We are told that, sooner or later, we'll be required to meet our Maker. So, personally, I'd like to reach the pearly gate before I completely deteriorate!

Dr. Sundwall’s Hike Group’s Tributes to David N. Sundwall, April 12, 2024 Ten days before Dr. Sundwall passed away, our hiking group, funded by Dr. Sundwall, had a "Last Potluck Supper” with him at his lovely home. We were deeply saddened by his “graduation announcement”, but also inspired by his bravery and courage to plan a graceful departure. Before we sat down to eat, we held hands and sang his favorite grace, “Evening has come, the board is spread, thanks be to God who gives of bread” then “Amazing Grace.” We shared fond memories and celebrated Dr. Sundwall’s remarkable life. As usual, Dr. Sundwall shared with us his sage wisdom, emphasizing “Friendship is the most important thing. I’m telling all of you to look after each other.” The friendship of our hiking group started in 2005 when he became the Executive Director for the Utah State Health Department. He established “Scaling the Heights: Saturday morning hikes program” in UDOH. He invited all ranks of staffers with their family members to join the hikes. He even had a UDOH flag made and proudly carried it in front of the hiking team and on the top of Mt. Olympus. Dr. Sundwall is funny, outgoing, and passionate. He would greet people we did not know during our hikes and proudly tell them: “We are the state health department hiking group; we have hiked almost every Saturday!” Dr. Sundwall promotes health whenever he can and anywhere he is. He is a public health role model for us.  When Dr. Sundwall became a Professor in the U of U School of Medicine, our group expanded to include many new friends and became a multicultural fellowship of weekly hikes and international adventures. I was a Chinese interpreter for Dr. Sundwall’s teaching and public speeches in China about HIV-AID prevention and public health. He also represented the state of Utah to collaborate with Morocco national public health. When Morocco health officials visited Utah, he invited them to join our hikes as well. He led us to visit our hiking-mate Mo’s charity clinic in Marrakesh, Morocco. We hiked under the foot of Mt. Toubkal while other hike-mates continued to the summit. Last October, Dr. Sundwall invited our hiking group to travel with him to Scotland, where he served on a mission as a young man and medical student for training. With sheep on hillsides and seagulls and eagles over coastal cliffs, he shared fun memories with the group. Everyone enjoyed his factual storytelling and humor. Our hearts swell with joy when we think of our times together with him in the mountains and or travels. He is the glue that held the group together for 19 years. Dr. Sundwall has had a profound impact on each of us. He supported and mentored everyone to pursue one’s dream. He allowed Carol, a world record holder, to take extended unpaid leave from her job to climb Mt. Everest. He gave career advice to his medical students and interns as well as health consultation to friends. He saved Bill from an open heart surgery; made house calls when Carol was severely injured; advised us to be a “good patient”. He led our cheerful walks, with our masks on, during the COVID pandemic. Over the years, our group has become like an extended family, He is a father-figure for the group. We had periodic potlucks, starting with the appetizer, a huge plate of delicious shrimp that Dr. Sundwall always brought to us. He encouraged everyone to bring an ethnic dish. The pinnacle of our gathering with Dr. Sundwall and Cathy was our gathering in Sweden, Maine, their federated "big house, little house, back house, and barn”.  They shared generous hospitality with us. We hiked a part of the world famous Appalachian Trail and visited Camp Tapawingo where the camp clinic is named after Dr. Sundwall to honor his more than 30 years of service as their summer camp physician. In the past two weeks, our group, through emails, shared lots of beautiful recollections and memories of and with the amazing Dr. Sundwall. Everyone felt Dr. Sundwall and his hiking group enriched and empowered each of us to be a better person and make a difference for our friends, families, and communities. He was an amazing person who lived his life to the fullest - full of kindness, openness, courage, adventures, and friendness. As we have just sung, “When such a friend from us departs, We hold forever in our hearts.” Dr. Sundwall, you are deeply loved by all of us; you will be dearly missed by all of us. Your legacy is with all of us always. (Synthesized by Wu Xu)

Oh how we loved it when "Dr." Sundwall came to home teach(yes I am old and can´t change my ways). When we first heard that a Brother Sundwall was going to be coming as one of our two home teachers my sister Susie and I wondered if it was the same Sundwall that she had gone to when a little girl, while visiting our grandma in Kanab. Susie saw a black widow spider at the house and it scared her so much our mom ran her over to Dr. Sundwall to get something to calm her down. Later when our mom, Susie and I were all living in the Salt lake area we found that Dr Sundwall was up her in Murray working in the clinic with his dad. We went to see him as needed. I went once with such a bad sunburn I couldn´t hardly stand still. I had to walk up and down in front of the clinic just to ease the swelling in both legs as each leg was off in stepping. When I was called into the exam room- he opened the door and "said I am not going to even touch those!" Thank goodness for him. So back to our first visit from our home teach Dr Sundwall. We opened the door and he wasn´t too familiar. In our visit we learned about his dad, what his brother was doing when practicing medicine in Kanab and then all that our home teacher Sundwall had been involved in. He was truly a down to earth man. We enjoyed his visits so much. He always made sure to invite us to any eating event the ward was having. That we were active in! Then he became my home visit doctor. Not being able to get into the Insta-care for antibiotics for cellulitis- I sent him a text message. I would be at the house right at 8:00 PM. There he was with his little black doctors bag and a stethoscope around his neck. Said he brought all that in case I wanted my blood pressure checked. Nope just my poor sore leg. Well he looked and I did know what I had. Called in prescriptions right then. A couple weeks later when doing his visit asked about my leg. Was getting all better!! I had to text my Dr Sundwall last year again for the same thing. This time I got a response back - I know you know what you have. I will call in meds as soon as I am done with this seminar(?). And he did. Always a second fill of them too. Well I did get the second fills just so I would have them on hand. I was just thinking the other day about him and that we hadn´t heard from him in a while. I had wanted to know how his big hike had gone that he and friends did months ago. And funny thing. As I had been thinking about him I hit my bad leg against a box. Sure enough I had scratch it. On went some special antibiotic cream he had prescribed. Then then Sunday I bumped the same bad leg again laundry basket. Yep there I did another scrape on my shin. More cream. Tuesday night I decided I didn´t want to take a chance on these scraps turning into cellulitis so, since I had filled that second fill if those pills I started on those. Was sure glad I had them. Then yesterday we got the news from Francie about Dr Sundwall passing. We are both so sad. He was such a caring person. We enjoyed his visits and he always made a point to pop over to say hi at the eating events we went to. We enjoyed the treats he would bring- see food again. The world has lost a great man! What an example of love for anyone. Active in church or not. Member or not. Helping anyone in time of need or not. I lived his smile and his laugh. He will sure be missed by us!! Bless his dad for helping to show his two boys the gift of healing, being the kind of doctor that we need more of again. David, I hope you have some hikes up where you are now with your brother and dad. With love and so much gratitude for being there when needed. You will be missed Julie Turner (one of the two girls)

Remarks by Eleanor (Nell) Sundwall at the Funeral Service for David Sundwall: Apparently anticipating how hard his passing would be for us, my dad had the very good manners to invite speakers, assign topics, and set a 2 ½ minute time limit. The topic I was assigned is David's 36 Consecutive Years As a Camp Doctor at Camp Tapawingo in Sweden, Maine. After 48 hours of ^careful consideration^, I told my dad, The best I can do is let people know that I will not be talking about your 36 Consecutive Years As a Camp Doctor at Camp Tapawingo in Sweden, Maine before changing the subject Instead of talking about my dad's many joyful years giving checkups to campers at an all-girls camp in Maine—or about the community he found nearby—I'd like, instead, to share a bit of ^Classic Dad^ wisdom he imparted to me many years ago: "You are not a ham—you'll never be done." ^Thanks, Dad.^ Actually, Dad, Thank you. To never be done means we always have the absolute freedom to learn, grow, and explore without the expectation that we (or anyone else) will reach a state of completion, let alone perfection. The Ham Doctrine is a profoundly generous and loving perspective on life. My dad lived past 80 but he was still unfinished. I am unfinished. Our relationship is unfinished. This is okay. I still want to make him the oyster soup I promised I would make but didn't. I want to beat him at Scrabble one more time. Or slowly finish a puzzle with him. Or sit. And listen. These things will never be done. This is okay. Since I'm not a ham (and my dad's not a ham), I can carry him with me through the rest of my human life. I'll close with a poem written by David's dad that has nothing to do with hams but will, I hope, bring some comfort to those who are still in shock at the rapidity of David's decline and passing: Modern Medicine Dr. Val Sundwall Why, in our society, does longevity have such priority? With life so full of pain and grief, should not the end come with relief? But with technology of this modern day, it's getting harder to pass away. It's uncertain which will go first, health insurance benefits, the patient, or the purse. In addition to the cost, the quality of life is often lost. Consider some of the things with which we might contend, before we reach the final end: cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, artificial respiration, CT scans and angiograms, intubation and aspiration, organ transplants and dialysis, neuromuscular paralysis. It is amazing to what lengths we've gone to postpone our trip to the great beyond. We are told that, sooner or later, we'll be required to meet our Maker. So, personally, I'd like to reach the pearly gate before I completely deteriorate!

I knew David from the time we worked together in the committee office of Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, followed by time working together at the Health Resources and Services Administration in the Washington, DC area. So, 30+ years. It was a pleasure to work with and for him and a special pleasure to get to know his wonderful wife, Cathy, and their three - then young - children. He was a special person, and I know he will be sorely missed by many. I offer my deepest condolences to Cathy, David, Nell, and Jed. Their love and care kept David on the straight and narrow, and his achievements kept them proud. May God bless all of this marvelous family of which he was the head. Kay Holcombe