Conrad Everett Sundholm

Conrad Everett Sundholm, 84, of West Linn, OR, passed away peacefully on July 9, 2023, surrounded by his loving family. He was a pioneer in the music industry, a devoted husband and father, and a generous friend to many.

Conrad was born on November 23, 1938, in Portland, OR, to Everett and Astrid Sundholm. He graduated from Lake Oswego High School in 1957 and attended Lewis & Clark College, where he studied education and electronics. At Lewis and Clark he met a girl named Sandra Sue Swanberg, and talked her into a date. Conrad and Sandra married on June 15, 1960, and would have five children: Scott, Kevin, Brandt, Stephen and Kirsten.

Conrad was a middle distance runner, a quarterback and a point guard for his beloved Lake Oswego High School. For a time, he held the school record in the mile at 4:33. He was proud of that record, and his passion for Track & Field never faded. In his 60’s he began competing again at the Masters level, in the event his family loved to call “Old Man Discus.” Some of his fondest memories and treasured relationships came from the Track & Field community.

Conrad was a passionate teacher of physics and Track Coach at Centennial High School in Portland for four years. He was also an electronics enthusiast who worked on projects in his father’s shop in Lake Oswego. His brother Norman Sundholm, a bass player, had joined a local rock and roll band, the now-famous Kingsmen, who had released a nation-sweeping version of the ultimate party song, "Louie Louie." Conrad’s life changed when Norm asked him to modify his bass amp to make it louder. Conrad borrowed $1,300 from Portland Teacher’s Credit Union, bought some plywood and speakers and started building cabinets and a bass amplifier that would set the music world on its ears. In 1965, Conrad and Norm founded SUNN Musical Equipment Company in Tualatin, which manufactured guitar amplifiers that were used by some of the biggest names in rock history, such as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Cream, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and many more. Conrad was the co-owner and president of SUNN until the early 70’s.

After some consulting work, he then started Biamp Electronics, followed by Sundholm Electronics, where he focused on audio equipment for sound reinforcement. He was a respected authority on sound technology and a mentor to many aspiring musicians and engineers.

Then, a new path. After leaving the LDS Church, Conrad and Sandra founded Truth-In-Love Ministries and became trusted experts on the teachings of the Mormon Church - working diligently to educate Christian churches in the Pacific Northwest and beyond about the differences between Mormonism and Christianity. Through the Ministry, Conrad was able to counsel countless truth-seekers and lovingly explain the Grace and Truth of Scripture. This calling became the definitive work of his life, and he continued the work until the passing of Sandra in 2001.

A sort of rebirth. With the passing of Sandra, Conrad found new love and a new, but familiar direction. He married Carolyn Godfrey on August 17, 2002, and they settled in West Linn, OR. They wasted no time building a life together, their home becoming the hub for all things Sundholm. This era of Conrad’s life was full of the people and the things he loved most. He rediscovered his passion for guitar tone and began building amps again. He went to the gym, threw the Old Man Discus, went to and watched as many track meets as possible. There were epic Sundholm Family White Elephant gift exchanges, Swedish meatballs on Christmas Day, Father’s Day BBQs and Easter Feasts. And Conrad had Carolyn at his side, supporting his passions and his love for his family. She was the glue that held him together, and he loved her, and he was not shy about telling you he loved her.

Conrad is survived by his wife, Carolyn Sundholm of West Linn; his children Scott Sundholm of Beaverton, Kevin (Melissa) Sundholm of Springfield, Brandt Sundholm of Gresham, Stephen (Michelle) Sundholm of West Linn, and Kirsten (Jeremiah) Lyons of Vancouver; his grandchildren Caleb (Cassie) Sundholm, Jordan (Phillip) O’Donnell, Micah (Melody) Sundholm, Anna Sundholm, Christopher (Kira) Sundholm, Isaac Lyons, Emily Lyons, Everett Sundholm and Ashton Sundholm; his great-grandchildren Iliana Sundholm and Claire Sundholm; his brother, Norman Sundholm and sister, Linda Quisenberry; his cousins Cheryl Sundholm Fox, Leslie Brown Hardin and Kurt Brown.

He was preceded in death by his parents Everett and Astrid Sundholm; his first wife Sandra Sundholm; and his cousins Eric Sundholm, Nancy Sundholm Carnese and Danny Sundholm.

A celebration of Conrad’s life will be held on Saturday, July 29th at 2:00 p.m. at SouthLake Church in West Linn, OR.

The family would like to thank the staff at Legacy Hospice, and Scott and Kevin Sundholm for their compassionate care of Conrad in his final days.

Conrad will be dearly missed by all who knew him. He was a legend in his own time and left a lasting legacy in the world of music.