William Harold Gustafson's Obituary
William (“Gus”) Harold Gustafson, 83, of Millsboro, Delaware, passed away on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. Born July 16, 1940, in Hibbing, Minnesota. William was the son of the late Harold A. Gustafson and Aili (Lillquist) Gustafson.
As a young man, William moved to Maryland. In 1960, at the age of 20, he joined the US Navy and proudly served until 1964. During his time in the Navy, William was involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Later in 2017 he was presented with medals by the US Government for his service during this important event in our nation’s history. After the conclusion of his miliary service, William was employed by Becton Dickinson (formerly Johnson Laboratories) and was involved in management for their customer service and sales support operations. He retired in 1997 after 31 years of employment.
After retiring, William moved to Delaware. He later became involved with the Indian River Senior Center, where he participated in many activities and clubs, day-to-day-operation of the center, and served on its board of directors. William was also involved in pool leagues and local clubs and leaves behind many close friends and acquaintances. In addition to his involvement with the IRSC, William also operated a small business that provided transportation services for medical patients.
William raised three children with Mary (Bealmear) Gustafson; Darrin and his wife Denise (Uppercue), of Columbia, Maryland; Melinda Gustafson-Burton and her husband Jim, of Perry Hall, Maryland; and Mark and his wife Kris (Bush), of Crystal Lake, Illinois; as well as grandchildren Matthew, Madison, Mia, Charlotte, and Declan. He is also survived by his sisters, Edith (“Eydie”) Nordby; Margaret Barr; Elizabeth Scalise and her husband Pete; and Sally Benedict and her husband Lee, along with many nieces and nephews.
According to William’s wishes, a memorial service is not planned. However, he did request that donations be made in his name to the Indian River Senior Center, 214 Irons Avenue, Millsboro, Delaware 19966. The Indian River Senior Center is a non-profit organization that provides social, educational, recreational, physical and emotional support, and entertainment for seniors.
Please sign Mr. Gustafson's Tribute Wall at this site.
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