Delbert Gulbransen

On the morning of Monday, March 18, 2019, Delbert Gordon Gulbransen, proud father and grandfather, passed away peacefully at the age of 78 with his two daughters at his side.

Del was born on June 29, 1940, in Hardisty, Alberta, Canada, to Gunnar and Ruth (Nystrom) Gulbransen. He and his brother, Vern, and his sister, Gloria, grew up in western Canada in various places where their father pastored churches. Del was known as a typical pastor’s kid. He was a skilled and experienced boundary tester and carried this characteristic throughout his life. He took his final year of school in Vancouver, BC, and began his travels for work and adventure in the US and Canada.

He traveled to work in Dawson City, Yukon; Pine Point, Northwest Territories; Winnipeg, Manitoba, and throughout the western United States. His work varied from lumber to building highways “north of 60” (which meant the northern Canadian territories) to construction and drilling for oil exploration. He took many bumps and bruises that barely slowed him down. He was like the cat with nine lives that had a 20 life debit at the end.

On August 28, 1965, he married Lois Nelson in Froid, Montana. The couple started out in Alberta, Canada. They eventually moved to Sidney, Montana where they raised two daughters, Niki and Kari, and one son, Lee. They were there until the oil crash in the 80s.  After that, they moved to Colorado for the final chapter of the 36-year marriage. Del moved to the Denver area for 10 years until he returned to Grand Junction where he lived until his passing. During those years he was available to the family for frequent phone conversations, consistent sporting event attendance with his grandsons, a sympathetic ear, and good advice.

Arnold Nordin led Del to the Lord on the cellar steps of the church in about grade 6. Faith was a very important part of Del’s life. If he couldn’t attend church, he would listen to gospel on the radio, watch it on television, or read books. Gospel music, from his daughter, Kari, to Jimmy Swaggart, was a great comfort to his soul. In the last years of his life, his prayer life deepened greatly and he talked with God about everything.

Del was an inventor, adventurer, and a true Viking at heart. He was an optimistic entrepreneur and a faithful and outspoken conservative. He was known for his mischievous wit, easy laugh, kindness, friendly conversation, tender heart, and contagious smile. As he walked down the grocery store aisle and saw a parent with a young child, he would always say, “I see you have your boss with you today” and would get a chuckle.  He was faithful to his Taco Tuesday tradition with good friends. He was generous, enthusiastic, visionary, and optimistic in his endeavors.

Del was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2014. The future was uncertain but he showed a very tough type of cancer who was boss and he amazingly beat the odds without following many of the rules. His children, seven grandchildren, siblings, family, and friends are so incredibly grateful for this additional gift of time to know and love him. He is greatly missed.

A small memorial service was held on March 22, 2019, in Grand Junction, CO. A Canadian celebration of Del’s life for friends and family, and the committal ceremony where Del will be laid to rest with his dear mom and dad, will be held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, on June 28, 2019. Time and location will be announced at a later date. Thank you to the support team at HopeWest Hospice for their care that went above and beyond our expectations. Please consider a donation in Del’s name to HopeWest in lieu of flowers.