PEAKS ISLAND – Long-time Peaks Island resident, Gunnar A. Elofson, passed away on March 2, 2022, at the age of 91.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Ingrid Elofson; his children Karin Elofson of Peaks Island, David Elofson and wife Diane of Manville, R.I., Eric Elofson and Melisa Filipos of Wellesley, Mass., and Sara Elofson Bouwman and husband Bryan, of Kirkland, Wash.; his sister, Nancy Heaton, of Cromwell, Conn.; his grandchildren Julianne and her husband Maswazi, Jonathan, Derek, Lukas, Hannah, Gunnar, Kelsey and Van; and great-granddaughter, Thandi; and several nieces, and nephews. He is also survived by cousins and extended family in Sweden.

Gunnar’s family is grateful for a lifetime of his love, support, and guidance.

Gunnar was born in 1930 in New Britain, Conn., to Swedish immigrants Albin and Dagny Elofson. Gunnar had one brother, Lars, and twin sisters Nancy and Marie. He excelled at sports and was very proud of his tryouts with a AAA baseball team (in later years, his efforts in the Tolman Heights annual softball games became the stuff of legends!) Gunnar held the rank of First Lieutenant in the Army during the Korean War and earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Connecticut in 1953.

Gunnar and Ingrid were married in November of 1956. They moved to Millis, Mass., in 1958, where they raised their family for the next 25 years. Gunnar started his own sales representative company, Selmark Associates, in 1964, which became highly respected in the industry and is still in business today. Son, David, took over the business when Gunnar retired in 1994.

In early retirement, Gunnar and Ingrid traveled extensively throughout the globe. During one amazing year, as long-time tennis fanatics, they attended the Australian Open, the French Open, and Wimbledon. In 2008, an Elofson family reunion took the whole family to Sweden, a once-in-a-lifetime experience that the family will never forget.

After visiting close family friends on Peaks Island in 1958, Gunnar knew he had found his “happy place” and purchased a small yellow cottage atop Tolman Heights. Gunnar and Ingrid’s love affair with the island created years of idyllic family summers, and that tradition continues through the Elofson generations today.

In 1998, Gunnar and Ingrid became year-round residents of Peaks Island when they had their oceanside dream house built at the end of Reed Avenue.

Gunnar loved Peaks Island and, when he could, enjoyed driving around and talking to anyone he bumped into along the way.

Gunnar had many friends on and off the Island, and he will be greatly missed. A celebration of life is planned for this summer.

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