Ferdinand 'Junior' Lundberg Jr.

TROUT CREEK, Mich. - Ferdinand "Junior" Lundberg Jr., son of Ferdinand Sr. and Siiri Niemi Lundberg, joined his parents in passing on June 1, 2023.

Born at the Grand View Hospital of Ironwood on July 25, 1943, his father paid a grand total of $46 and kept the receipt in case he wanted to return him for a refund.

Ferd worked as a young boy at his father's Shell Station in Bruce Crossing. In order to earn funds for college, he worked with his father at Nordine's Lumber Company cutting pulp. After graduating from Trout Creek High School in 1961, he studied at Gogebic Community College. In 1965, Ferd got a call from his Uncle Sam and was drafted from 1965-1967. He served in Vietnam as a field artillery surveyor.

When he returned to the U.P., he attended Michigan Tech University's School of Forestry in Houghton and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in forestry in 1969. While he was attending MTU, he worked a summer job near Munising and met the love of his life and soul mate, Mary Jane Watson, who became his wife on Oct. 4, 1969.

After graduating from MTU, Ferd left the U.P. for his first job as a forester for the American Pulpwood Association in Atlanta. He traveled across the south, testing and evaluating new advances in forestry equipment. Ferd and his young family then moved to New Bern, North Carolina, where he had a role in wood procurement. From there, he moved to Garner, North Carolina. While in Garner, he chose to retire from the forestry business and start a new career at North Carolina State University's College of Textiles working as the extrusion resources lab manager. Ferd spent 22 years at NCSU working with several professors and many doctoral candidates, and received at least four patents. His work at NCSU College of Textiles involved areas such as using fiber for space and medical applications.

Ferd was predeceased by his parents, Ferdinand and Siiri (Niemi) Lundberg. He is survived by his wife of almost 54 years, Mary (Watson) Lundberg; his three children: daughters, Carole Hamblin of Gastonia, North Carolina, Debra Lundberg (Greg Mundy) of Columbia, South Carolina; and his son, Michael Lundberg (Maureen) of Garner, North Carolina. He is further survived by four grandchildren, Mark, Matthew and Nicholas Reaves, and Siiri Lundberg Pendergrass; one great-grandson, Eli Pendergrass; a brother, Robert (Gayla) Lundberg of Panama City, Florida; a sister, Dorothy (Doug) Roberts of Bruce Crossing; along with several nieces and nephews.

No services will be held at this time. Ferd will be cremated and his ashes will be interred at the Trout Creek Cemetery.