Lund Obit

DENTON LUND

June 28, 1929–June 8, 2019

Denton Lund made his transition into the light in the early morning of June 8, 2019. Being an artist for his entire life, he was always observant of the light. He had been in hospice care at the Veterans Affairs Health Care Center in Fort Meade, S.D., since February. He was blessed with a wonderful and caring hospice team — angels all. 

He was born on June 28, 1929, in Butler, N.J. From early childhood, he was encouraged to develop his abilities in drawing and painting. After serving a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy, he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in New York City, then received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the prestigious Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. 

After spending the greater portion of his life working in the New York area for major corporations as a commercial illustrator and design artist, he moved to New Mexico to become a serious painter of Western, Native American, wildlife, and visionary themes. He and his wife, Sandra, moved to Newcastle, Wyo., in 1996. He entered the Wyoming Game Stamp competition for a few years and though his work was far too impressionistic to become a stamp, his paintings were selected to be part of the state art tour.  He also entered the Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition and the state bought three of his oil paintings over the years.

Denton loved animals and donated art to wildlife rescue groups in New Mexico, Colorado, and Kentucky. He also donated art to hospitals in New Mexico and in Wyoming. He always loved dogs and he had many lovely companions throughout his years in Newcastle. The most recent is a Labrador retriever named Gabriel. Denton was a gentle man, a kind man, and he had a beautiful sense of humor. He was a good human, and those who knew him best could not help but love him. He was always so creative and kept on painting until his past illness. It was a good journey because his first love was always his art and he was able to do this for the whole of his life. He wrote in his artist statement: “The paintings, themselves, form the bond between the artist and those who would view them.”

Denton was preceded in death by his father, Denton Lund Sr.; his mother, Lillian (Bedson) Lund; and his sister, Lorraine (Lund) Dorrman.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra (Johnson) Lund; son, Karl (Susan) Lund; daughter, Denise (Chris) Nelson; grandson, Kendall Nelson; stepdaughter, Cassandra A. (Mark) Perkins; and granddaughter, Marietta E. Perkins.

Graveside services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, June 28, at Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, S.D. Military honors will be provided by the Sturgis Volunteer Honor Guard and the United States Navy.

Friends and family may sign his online guestbook and leave written condolences for the family at blackhillsfuneralhome.com.