WA state trooper who died of COVID-19 was ‘best of best;’ memorial held in Tacoma
It was Eric Gunderson’s commitment and desire to protect people that made him stand out.
Those were qualities that led to a 16-year, decorated career with the Washington State Patrol, and they were mentioned time and again by loved ones who gathered Monday at a memorial service to honor Gunderson, who died Sept. 26 of COVID-19.
About 1,800 people gathered at Church for All Nations in Tacoma to remember Gunderson’s dedication, expertise in unmanned aerial vehicles, penchant for joking around and role as caretaker. Hundreds of law enforcement officers, some from as far away as Vancouver and Oregon, participated in a procession that started at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, went past Pacific Lutheran University and ended at the church.
Gunderson is the 32nd trooper to die in the line-of-duty.
The department said Gunderson, 38, contracted the virus while providing training for other law enforcement at an International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Orlando, Florida.
COVID is the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths this year, causing 198 out 316 deaths nationwide, according to WSP Chief John Batiste.
“We must remember all of those good people as well but Eric, Eric was ours,” Batiste said. “For the 2,300 people that make up this Washington State Patrol, he was a a respected and beloved colleague ... To me, he was one of my best. Indeed he was the best of the best ... And now to this state and indeed to this nation, he is a hero to be forever remembered.”
Gunderson was a member of WSP’s Special Weapons and Tactics team and most recently worked in the Technology Liaison section of the Criminal Investigation Division in Tacoma. He was well-known for his pioneering work with drones and using them to map collision scenes that shorted the time of road closures.
As valuable as his work contributions were, family and friends said, Gunderson will most be remembered for his loving demeanor and desire to take care of others.
Andrew Soros, his godson, recalled being 15 and a ward of the state when Gunderson and his now-wife offered to take him in.
“The role Eric played in those years between being a friend, a brother and a father figure couldn’t have been easy, but he excelled at it, as he does most things in life,” Soros said.
He talked about he and Gunderson spent time playing video games and watching TV, but how Gunderson also acted as a disciplinarian by ensuring he did his chores and straightened up his life.
“I wouldn’t have been near the person I am today without the love and care they gave to me each and every day,” Soros said.
Gunderson married his high school girlfriend, Kami, and the couple went on to have two sons, Blake, 13, and Braden, 10. One of the boys wore Gunderson’s trooper hat during part of the ceremony.
Framed photos of the family were set at the front of the church beside the flag-draped casket, along with a football jersey, drone and SWAT uniform.
One of his brothers, Garrett Gunderson, talked about how unexpected it was for Gunderson to become a trooper since he ran wild as a kid growing up first in South Dakota and later in Parkland. Gunderson threw balls at their house, tossed rock-laced snowballs at passing cars and went for a joyride at age 12 and got in a collision.
Despite that, he grew up to become a trooper and eventually convinced Garrett Gunderson to become a Kent police officer by telling him cops get to drive fast.
“He never did anything without the intention of being the very best at it,” Garrett Gunderson said. “No words could ever capture how incredible of a person you were and the hand-print you left on all the lives that you touched while you were here with us.”
Detective Sgt. Steve Reeves, SWAT team leader, met Gunderson while they were attending a collision reconstruction school and was immediately struck by his friendliness, “wicked smarts” and technological savvy.
He recruited Gunderson onto the SWAT team and every day, Gunderson would call him on the drive home to talk about how he could correct tiny mistakes and be better.
“He was a perfectionist. If he committed to something, he was all in,” Reeves said. “He would pour all of his energy into being all he could be.”
Gunderson will be recognized Friday at a conference in Georgia for his work with unmanned aerial vehicles. A Gunderson Award also will now be given each year to an employee or agency in the UAV industry that embodies the missions and ideals of Gunderson, Batiste said.
At the close of the service, a video of Gunderson’s life projected onto a large screen showed him graduating college, playing with his sons, on the football field, hanging out with friends at country concerts and operating drones.
Buglers played “Taps.” The final radio call came over with, “Tacoma David 823, status? No answer. Trooper Detective Gunderson gone but not forgotten.”
Capt. Ron Mead, who emceed the service, echoed that sentiment.
“I can’t make many promises, but I can make one,” he said. “We will never forget. We will never forget.”
This story was originally published October 4, 2021 at 4:39 PM.
