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Memorial Service Held for Arthur F. Gustafson
BATAVIA, IL (December 1, 2003) - A memorial service was held at the
Evangelical Covenant Church of Batavia this morning for retired Covenant
minister Arthur F. Gustafson, who died last Wednesday at the Michealsen
Health Care Center at The Holmstad of Batavia.
Pastor Mark Nilson of the Evangelical Covenant Church of Batavia
officiated at Monday's service, along with chaplain Larry Dieckman of
The Holmstad. Gustafson had moved to The Holmstad in 1994 after retiring
from 46 years of ministry.
Gustafson was born January 1, 1912 in Dayton, Iowa, then moved to
Chicago's south suburb of Blue Island, where he graduated from high
school. After high school, he worked at First National Bank in Chicago
for 10 years before entering the U.S. Army Air Corp Special Unit in
1942. He served in the European Theatre and participated in the Normandy
invasion of France during World War II.
After serving in the military, he began studying at North Park College
in Chicago and eventually went to North Park Theological Seminary in
1948 - by then, he was serving as pastor of Emmanuel Evangelical
Covenant Church in Merrill, Wisconsin. He served at the church from May
1947 until retiring in January 1994.
Gustafson finished his seminary education at North Park in 1951 and
attended Chicago Divinity School from 1951-55. The Evangelical Covenant
Church ordained him at the 1953 Annual Meeting in Minneapolis. While he
loved ministry, his war experience still had a profound impact on his
life as he logged more than 13,000 flying hours and enjoyed building
aircraft as well.
Along with his parents, Joseph and Anna Gustafson, Arthur Gustafson was
preceded in death by five sisters, Delia Peterson, Ruth Melin, Hilma
Winterfeldt, Helen Gustafson and Elsie Gustafson; and by three brothers,
John, Nels and Roy Gustafson. Several nieces, nephews, grand nieces and
grand nephews survive Gustafson.
Memorials are being earmarked for The Good Samaritan Fund at The
Holmstad. For more information, call The Holmstad at 630-879-4000.
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