Irving O. Amundson, age 98, died on January 31, 2018, at The Victorian in Rapid City, South Dakota, where he had resided for the last three years with his wife Helen. He was born on March 21, 1919, in Tioga, North Dakota, to Charley and Inga (Olson) Amundson. He was the eldest of four children.

Irving graduated from Tioga High School and attended one year of college at the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. In 1941, he moved to Washington, D.C. to begin a job with the Veterans Administration. He met the love of his life, Helen Palmer, at a boarding house where they were both residing. Helen had come to Washington, D.C. from her hometown of Bath, New York, to work in the War Department. Irving and Helen were married in Bath, New York, in April 1942. They celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in April 2017.

Irving was drafted into the Army in 1942 and served in various locations in the U.S. until his discharge in 1946. In late 1946, Irving and Helen moved back to his home state of North Dakota where Irving found work as a bookkeeper. Their daughter Karen was born in January 1947. Their son Philip was born in 1949 and their son, Ralph, in 1952.

The family lived in several towns in North Dakota until 1960, when they moved to Rapid City, South Dakota, where Irving was offered a job in the finance office at Ellsworth Air Force Base. He continued working at Ellsworth until his retirement in 1981. He and Helen enjoyed traveling, both before and after retirement, and they visited all 50 states and a number of foreign countries.

Irving is survived by his wife, Helen; his children Karen Grover, Philip Amundson, and Ralph (Janet) Amundson, all of Rapid City; his grandchildren Christine Grover (Shan) Samansky of Copperas Cove, Texas; Josh Amundson (Kelly Brown); and Justin (Marie) Amundson, all of Rapid City; his great-grandchildren Alanna Grover, Clifford Amundson-Hall, Brandon and Alyssa Amundson, and Trisha and Summer Erhart, all of Rapid City; as well as 4 step grandchildren and numerous step great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his sisters Elaine Heen of Helena, Montana, and Darlene Harms of Brighton, Colorado, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Chester Amundson, sons-in-law David Strand and Rennie Grover, daughter-in-law Katherine Denke Amundson, and grandchildren David Grover and Alicia Amundson.

Memorials may be made to Faith Lutheran Church.