He is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Margaret Taylor Gustafson, whom he married on his birthday in 1953. He is further survived by his two children – Scott Gustafson and his wife Fidelia of Houston and Melanie Gustafson-Ropski and her husband Steven Ropski, PhD, of Erie, PA; four grandchildren – Jessica and Major Clifford Pullig, U.S. Army, of Colorado Springs, CO; Eryk and Sara Gustafson of Spring,TX; Meaghan Ropski, DVM, and Steven Conroe of Beltsville, MD; and Nathaniel Ropski of Erie, PA; and great grandchildren – Samuel, Madison, and Annaliese Pullig and Baby Gustafson due this month.
Born March 22, 1929, in Anaconda, Montana, Gus was the eldest son of Helen Winther Gustafson. As a young man of 16 he joined the United States Navy and served his country at the end of World War II and during the Korean War. After two honorable discharges he settled in Butte, MT, where he was the people’s banker at GMAC, Metals Bank & Trust Co., Security Bank, and Miners Bank until his retirement in 1994. Well known throughout the Butte community, he was an active member of the B.P.O.E., the Masonry, and the Chamber of Commerce and was on the board of directors for the American Cancer Society of Silver Bow County. He was the youngest president of the Butte Lions Club in the 1960s and served on the Council of Commissioners for two years in the late 1970s. A natural handyman Gus maintained the washers and dryers at the Easy Washateria on South Main for many years.
Gus loved to fish and frequented the Montana waters of Georgetown Lake, Canyon Ferry, and Clark Canyon. His most favorite trip was to British Columbia to go salmon fishing with his son, Scott. He also enjoyed bowling, watching boxing and anything related to the military. Gus and Marg loved to travel and removed Las Vegas, Alaska, Hawaii, China, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, England, France, Italy, Mexico, Panama, and Russia from their bucket list. Retirement led them to Sun Lakes, AZ for 22 years and then Houston since 2016.
The family extends their gratitude to the compassionate caregivers of You’re First and the staff of Copperfield Estates for making Gus’s last two years a pleasant experience.
Funeral arrangements are with Brookside Funeral Home – Cypress Creek of Houston. A memorial service with full military honors will occur at a future date. In lieu of flowers Gus asks that a random act of kindness be done in his honor and that you post it on: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/houston-tx/francis-gustafson-8043256
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