Gustav Minjun Lo

Gus was born on January 1, 1936 in Berlin, Germany. His father, Guan Tsai Lo and mother, Chen Chi Be were living in Berlin while Guan Tsai attended medical school. When Gus was 1 year old, the family fled back to China amid looming wars in both Germany and China. They settled in the city of Chongqing in Szechuan Province where the senior Dr. Lo set up his medical practice and the family lived until 1948.

In 1948, the Lo family was forced to flee China and 12-yr-old Gus was sent alone to America under the care of Methodist missionaries. The rest of the family escaped to Hong Kong and Brazil.

Gus lived in the Methodist Children’s Home in Berea, Ohio until he was in college. He had happy high school years and made many lifelong friends in small-town Ohio. When Katie McGrail came to work at the children’s home, Gus and Katie met, fell in love, and were soon married in 1955.

Gus received his undergraduate degree from Baldwin Wallace, his master’s degree in psychology from Kent State, and his MD from University of Iowa Medical School. By now a family of 5, Gus and Katie stayed in Iowa for his internship in General Medicine, then moved to Detroit where he completed his psychiatric residency. Then it was on to North Dakota, where he served 2 years as a captain in the US Air Force.

After his time in the Air Force, the family returned to Michigan, where Dr. Lo established a private psychiatry practice in Lansing. He maintained his practice for over 30 years until 1990, when he transitioned to work for Blue Cross Blue Shield where he retired in 2001 as Head of Psychiatry for the managed care division. He continued to consult with BCBS until 2023, when he fully retired at the age of 88.

Gus is survived by his wife of 69 years, Katie Lo. He is also survived by his 3 children: Sue Lo Schultz of Okemos, Steve Lo (Lisa Zhou) of Sausalito, CA, and Gustav J Lo (Courtney Lo) of Petoskey. His loving grandchildren include: Jamay Shook (David), Carly Pettit (Elliott), Carson Lo, Austin Lo, Anna Sumpter, and Luke Sumpter. His great grandchildren are Carter and Graham Shook, Vera and George Pettit, and Indi Bryant. Gus is also survived by his sister Lily Lo and his brother Adolph Lo, and many nieces and nephews.

To all of us, Dad was a funny, irreverent man with a dark sense of humor. We could always count on him to tell us the most horrible news story of the day and then laugh about it. He had an uncanny memory and could recall nearly every Chinese restaurant he ever visited, as well as the favorite dishes of each family member and the names of many of the servers. He was an avid reader and historian, and a highly respected and refined psychiatrist.

Most of all, Gus was devoted to Katie. Together, they enjoyed traveling, especially to Bermuda and to visit family and friends all over the country. He was a kind and generous grandpa, and will be greatly missed by all who knew him well. Gus was adamant that when the time came to leave this life, he wanted it to be on his own terms. We are left with fond, funny, and happy memories of a one-of-a-kind husband, father, and grandpa.

A memorial will be held in February, time and date to be announced at a later date. Please check back for further updates.