As a small boy growing up in Sweden, Magnolia resident Bertil Lundh remembers writing an essay in his second-grade class. He wrote about himself as a 23-year-old embarking on a journey to live in the United States.
His day would come in 1947, a few years before the Korean War. He was 23 - right on schedule. But Lundh's time in the States was short-lived. He was drafted seven months after he got to Seattle, and spent 20 months overseas in Korea and Japan fighting for the country he had always dreamt of living in.
After returning Stateside, Lundh built his construction business, which he named after himself. But Swedish traditions and heritage never left Lundh's heart, and from the time he returned from the war, he has been involved in promoting Swedish heritage and traditions, both locally in Seattle and at a national level.
To recognize his efforts, the country he left 56 years ago has honored him with the Royal Order of the Polar Star, Commander First Class, bestowed by King Carl Gustaf XVI this past April in Washington, D.C.
"It's pretty awesome to receive this award, because very few people get it," said Lundh.
King Fredrik I introduced the Royal Order of the Polar Star in 1748; it was conceived to honor Swedish citizens who served the nation with distinction - through civic duty, as scientists or sociologists or by making a notable contribution to Swedish culture.
However, in 1975 the prerequisites for the award changed. Now the Order is bestowed only upon members of the Swedish Royal Family and upon foreign nationals in recognition of personal services to Sweden or the promotion of Swedish interests.
Lundh has been a member of many organizations and activities since coming to live in the United States. These include the Swedish Club, to which he's belonged since 1950; the Swedish Men's Business Association, which was incorporated into the Swedish-American Chamber of Commerce; and the Swedish Consulate of America. He's also a founding member of Ballard's Nordic Heritage Museum. Lundh has served as president of all these organizations - and several more - at one time or another. And Bertil O. Lundh Construction Inc. built the Swedish Pavilion for the Seattle World's Fair in 1962.
"Bertil's leadership within the Swedish community in the Seattle area is well known," said Siri Eliason, a longtime friend who nominated Lundh to receive the Order. "His enthusiasm and willingness to tackle formidable tasks for the organizations close to his heart has given him many friends in the United States and in Sweden. It made me feel very good [for Lundh to receive the Order]," said Eliason. "He's worked hard for so many years."
As for Lundh, his proudest moment is serving as president of the Millionair Club, an organization that aids the homeless in Seattle. During his term, he helped raise enough funds to rebuild the current Millionair Club building and add another floor. Lundh has served on 12 nonprofit boards and currently is committed to the American Lung Association.
"You have to give something back," he said. "My whole family is involved, and we've always given, even when we were struggling.
"I came [to the United States] with nothing, and I came by myself," he continued. "[My family] has been pretty fortunate."
So is his community.
Freelance writer Sharon Thomas-Hearns, a Seattle resident, can be reached at qanews@nwlink.com.
