John Edward Sunder was born in St. Louis, Missouri on October 10, 1928.
He joined the United States Army and served in Korea for two years.
[1][3] Sunder's historical research focused on the North American fur trade, the history of the Arctic, Canada, and American Indian history.
[1] He also birded internationally, visiting New Zealand, South America, Finland and Iceland.
[1] Sunder's journals, "Occasional Observations on Nature," are held in the collection of the Austin History Center.