Whitefish's beloved Ted Lund dies at 92

Ted Lund, a retired florist who embodied community spirit and leadership in Whitefish, died Wednesday morning at his home in Whitefish.

He was 92.

Lund was a beloved fixture at community events in the resort town for decades and was perhaps best known for his involvement with the Whitefish Winter Carnival and the town's annual Christmas decorations.

He was one of the original penguin characters that remain a special part of the Winter Carnival.

Lund was the carnival's fourth King Ullr and at the time of his death was the longest-reigning carnival king.

"He was bigger than life," said Jake Heckathorn, one of Lund's longtime friends. "He always had a ready smile and was an ambitious worker. Ted was always the leader of things."

Heckathorn and Lund served in the Army Reserves together for many years and Heckathorn recalled him as "a really good First Sergeant."

Military service was important to Lund.

In a 2005 profile published in the Daily Inter Lake, Lund recalled how he was crushed when he was rejected in the first military draft during World War II because of an abnormality in his left eye.

He overcame the problem in the second draft and said it was "the happiest day of my life, next to the day I married Connie."

Longtime friends Charlie and Susan Abell said they and Lund shared a love of Bulldog sports and faithfully attended games through the years. They recalled fun road trips to basketball tournaments with Lund and Art LaBrie, one of Lund's best friends.

"We always took them along and we always had a great time," Charlie Abell said.

Lund was inducted into the Bulldog Hall of Fame last year and recently had established an annual scholarship for the Bulldog with the highest grade-point average.

"He was Mr. Whitefish and he'll leave a huge hole," Susan Abell said.

She said Lund's encyclopedic knowledge of the Winter Carnival history was a big help last year when she and others organized a 50th anniversary celebration.

Charlie Abell said Lund was a true member of "The Greatest Generation."

"He was hardworking, honest, cared about his community and helped build Whitefish into what it is today," he said.

Lund's 32 years in the floral business brought color to Whitefish in many ways, whether it was placing floral arrangements on graves for Memorial Day or supplying the perfect blooms for a wedding bouquet. His Whitefish Floral greenhouse and gardens along Wisconsin Avenue were a landmark in their day.

Lund became interested in flowers as a boy and went on to earn an associate degree in horticulture from the North Dakota School of Forestry. Lund kept a meticulous journal of his plantings, transplantings and bloom dates. With assistance from several dedicated employees Lund and his wife kept a viable business running.

Lund was active with the Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, too, and in 2005 he was named the Chamber's Citizen of the Year.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish. Friends may call at Austin funeral Home from 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday.