Clifton S. Gustafson

Clifton Stromberg Gustafson died peacefully at home in Chatham, MA on January 3, 2016. He was born in Providence, RI on July 26, 1918 to Frank Nathaniel Gustafson and Hilda Stromberg Gustafson, originally of Sweden. He was predeceased in 2006 by his wife Janet Elaine Bigwood Gustafson and a sister Hope P. Rankine, a brother Prescott W. N. Gustafson and his twin brother Clifford Stromberg Gustafson.

He is survived by his daughter Gail Gustafson Lintern and Martin L. Boyle of Winthrop, MA; and daughter Nancy Gustafson Ault and Charles F. Ault of Damariscotta, ME. Additionally he is survived by his grandchildren James and Catherine Lipp and their children Elliott and Wyatt all of Charleston, SC; Stuart Lipp and Nadia Abdulrazak and their children Alexandra and Theodore all of Arlington, MA; James Ault of Minneapolis, MN; Thomas Ault, MA; Stephen Ault of Saco, ME; and Alison Ault of Damariscotta, ME. Clifton is also survived by his dear friend Babs Lidbeck of Chatham and her family. They met a short ten years ago and enjoyed attending church together, seeing plays at Monomoy Theater, playing golf and dining out often.

Clifton was a graduate of Hope Street High School in Providence, RI and graduated from Brown University in 1941 and the Coast Guard Academy in 1943. He served as the Commanding Officer aboard the USCG Cutter Harriet Lane during WWII.

As a young man, he worked at Herreshoff Manufacturing in Bristol, RI as a ship’s carpenter. He also worked for Frank N. Gustafson and Sons, Inc. in Providence, RI, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company in Boston, The Fram Corporation in East Providence, RI and as owner of Clifton S. Gustafson Risk Management in Providence.

He attended the Swedish Free Congregational Church in Providence, RI where he was baptized as a young boy. Later he attended the Central Congregational Church in Providence, St. Martin’s Church in Providence, and St. Christopher’s Church in Chatham, MA.

He was involved in many Brown University activities including Brown Club of Boston, Chairman of his 25th class reunion, President of Brown Club in Naples, FL and a member of the Board of Directors of Brown Club on Cape Cod. He also served as Commodore of the Monomoy Yacht Club in Chatham, MA.

After retirement he and his wife Janet enjoyed traveling the world. In later years, after Janet died, his older daughter Gail took him on a long memorable trip to Scandinavia for his 90th birthday and daughter Nancy joined them in Stockholm.

Clifton enjoyed many sports related activities as well. While living in Providence he and his twin brother played weekly squash games at the University Club. He was a lifelong sailor and owned many sail boats and taught his daughters and grandchildren to sail. He was also a lifelong ice-skater, only having given that up in 2010. He shared that passion with his family as well. Later in life, he and his wife Janet took up golf and joined the Eastward Ho! in Chatham and several golf clubs in Naples, FL when they resided there.

A visitation will be held on Friday, January 8th from 4-6 PM, at Nickerson Funeral Home in Chatham. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 9th at 11 AM, at Swan Point Cemetery Historical Chapel. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Friends of Pleasant Bay, The Chatham Food Pantry, or The Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance.

For online condolences, please visit http://www.nickersonfunerals.com/