Anita Sundin

Anita Lowe (Lethin) Sundin, 99, a resident of Davenport, IA, left us Wednesday, March 4, 2020 at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House in Bettendorf.

A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, October 31, 2020, at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Davenport. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the donor’s charity of choice. Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home in Davenport is assisting the family with arrangements.

Anita was born November 4, 1920, in Moline, IL. She was the youngest of three daughters, born to Elmer S. and Edna L. (Lowe) Lethin. She graduated from Moline High School in 1938 where she excelled in athletics; attended MacMurray College, Jacksonville, IL for two years majoring in Physical Education; and later attended Columbia School of Broadcasting, Chicago. On February 9, 1946, she married Richard K. Sundin, Sr. in Chicago. From that union came two children, Lynda and Rick. The couple later divorced. Anita raised her two children while working full-time and breaking barriers for women of that era. In 1988 she married Orville Fick, Muscatine, IA. They divorced and Anita returned to Davenport in 2002.

Anita lived an active and amazing life for nearly 100 years. No obituary could ever begin to capture her life, her accomplishments and service to others, and the depth of her Christian faith. Even in death, she chose to serve others by donating her body to the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.

She was a pioneer in early television, working as a copywriter/broadcaster for 31 years (1953-1984) at WOC-TV/Radio (now KWQC-TV). She was a dedicated volunteer, sharing her talents to help and enrich the lives of others, including her children, family, and everyone she touched. She was an award-winning narrator of audio books for the Iowa Department for the Blind for 39 years, only recently retiring. Her creative writing of poems for birthdays and Christmas letters was a valued gift for all recipients.

Music was an integral part of who Anita was, singing in the St. John’s United Methodist Church Chancel Choir and adding her rich tenor voice to other choirs and music groups. She did solo performances, and she and her son Rick presented music programs throughout the community. Anita played autoharp in the German American Heritage Center’s Zither Ensemble until a few weeks before her death.

Those left to honor Anita’s memory include her children Lynda (Bob) Prendergast, Parachute, CO and Rick Sundin, Jr., Davenport; her beloved grand-dogs Pixi and Jack; numerous nieces and nephews as well as a multitude of friends. Preceding her in death were her parents, her sisters; Marjory Tooley and Jenese Nelson; son-in-law Ron Manning, and both former husbands.

She is now in God’s loving hands…