Eliabeth Gustavson Davis

June 7, 2009 Elizabeth Gustavson Davis graduated from Antelope Valley College AA nursing program along with 59 others. She was one of 10 to receive a job offer at graduation ceremonies at Antelope Valley fair venue.

Photos taken by her Uncle, Dick (Gus) Gustavson are on his Facebook site.

 

Cindy Lee Case

Cindy Lee Case

5/27/66 – 8/29/08

Cindy’s article in the Modesto Bee paper:

Cindy had a zeal for life.  She loved her friends, family, and life and we loved her.  She fought the bravest fight against a cancer that would not relent.  She is now in the arms of Her Lord, Jesus Christ.

Cindy grew up in Clovis and Orange , CA .  She moved to Modesto where she helped others as a cardiac ultrasound technician.  Cindy loved remodeling her house, camping, traveling, and spending time with her nieces and nephews.

Cindy is survived by her mother Vickii Yeats, father Larry Case Sr., step-father Don Yeats, sister Donna Hendrickson, brothers Larry and Keri Case, and John and Laurie Case, step-mother Mercy Tognotti, and her children Mike and Frank.  Her nieces and nephews Jake, Ollie, Eli, Aliyah, Noah, Samantha, and Jacob, were all special treasures to Cindy.

Special thanks must be given to: Dr. Eldaly and his wonderful staff at the Emanuel Cancer Center in Turlock , Pastor Rick at Big Valley Grace Community Church in Modesto , her loving mother Vickii, who was with Cindy until the end and her step-brother Mike, and to the caring nurses at Doctors Medical Center …especially Sarah and Cynthia.  Thank you to all who supported and encouraged Cindy.  As in life, she is smiling now.

Services will be held on Saturday, September 6, at 2 p.m., at Big Valley Grace Community Church , at 4040 Tully in Modesto , CA .  Flowers may be sent to Big Valley Church or a contribution to the Emanuel Cancer Endowment at www.givetoemanuel.org would be appreciated.

This a very poignant and touching story of Cindy’s battle with cancer as told by her mom, VickiiYeats, who was always there during this battle:

Cindy’s talents were many. She painted me a picture that I proudly have hanging on my living room wall. She loved NASCAR, camping, jumping out of planes, repelling, Rock climbing, racing cars, and working on her home. Her biggest pleasure came from her nieces and nephews and the joy they gave her!

She worked for several doctors as a cardiac ultrasound technician. Dr.Ashraf, one of the doctor’s she worked for, would tell me little stories about Cindy.  I think the one I remembered most was when Cindy was already working late and Dr.Ashraf needed one more patient done. He said, Cindy never complained when asked to stay late. She would always stay no matter how long, no matter how many patients.

Cindy had a strength and a stubbornness that God gave her for the last and most important task of her life, which was to fight a very fast growing ugly cancer called “Extra Hepatic Bile-duct Cancer”. She started her chemo one month after her operation to take out her gall bladder. (The gall bladder surgery was to be a normal procedure in January ‘08, they didn’t suspect cancer). They found the cancer was on the gall bladder and had spread to her liver and bile-duct and several other places in her body during the surgery. Every other week, I would take her for chemo procedures. Many times she had to have stints put in her liver and bile-ducts where the cancer had spread for those areas to function.

My sweetest memory of Cindy was on those days when we would walk hand-in-hand into the Emanuel Cancer Center in Turlock , where she had her chemo procedure. On a bad day, when Cindy was too weak to walk, the nurses would run out with a wheel chair for her. Those wonderful nurses all had a special gift of compassion from God. After each new series of chemo procedures she would have to take a PET scan to determine if the treatment was effective or not on the cancer. It usually brought bad news. So Cindy’s battle would continue and she never gave up.

She had many visitors and she loved having everyone visit her at home in Modesto . They were all so precious to her and no matter how sick she was she would welcome them and enjoyed their company.

Cindy knew the Lord. Her testimony was how God gave her the determination to try and beat this cancer even though we were told she would always have it. At night, when we said good night, I never knew what was going through Cindy’s mind. But for me, I remember so well, I would cry out to my Lord on Cindy’s behalf.

My daughter always told me thank you and that she loved me. Our time together was truly a blessing and a lasting gift from God. I will always see her beautiful face and her heart that was full of love. She had incredible strength throughout her life and during her last seven and a half months. I was so overwhelmed with love and respect for her and no mother could ever be more proud of her child than I was of Cindy.

Vickii Bouttier Yeats

May 2009

 

Pam Gunn

I hope all of your family are doing well. We’ve been dealing with a medical problem for a while and I wanted to update you. In February we found that Pam has a blood cancer (multiple myeloma). The original symptoms of severe back pain have been occurring since last Thanksgiving. It turns out that she also had a fractured vertebrae. This type of cancer effects plasma blood cells and results in weakened bones. She initially underwent radiation treatment, to relieve some of the larger bone lesions, and is now in chemotherapy to slow the growth of the myeloma cells in the blood. Pam is holding up very well under the circumstances but gets tired easily and has periods of bone pain. We’re hoping for a long remission and have great support from our kids and Pam’s family.

Please feel free to pass this to your family. We think of all of you often and I still plan to visit with you when we are in LA.

Take care,
Mik Gunn (Eleanor Gustavson’s Nephew)

 

Jerry Gustavson Family Memoir Notes

I have Ruth (Lou and Esther Gustavson Daughter) born in 1904 and according to the cemetery records died 2-27-1906. I am sending you also the evergreen Cemetery records of all the Gustavson/Gustafson burials. For some reason I don’t see Ernie’s name listed. I know his tombstone is right next to his Mom and Dad’s , Adolph and Emma. It also shows your great grandpa Carl E and has his name as Gustafson. I believe that to be him because it corresponds to his date of death. The death certificate which was signed by Adolph also shows spells the last name with an f. Anyway the names on the Evergreen records I think are all messed up anyway. It also shows Carl (Luther) listed with an f and his daughter also with an f. You will see what I mean when you get the copies. I will get them out this weekend.

Another note on Carl Edward’s grave. He died in 1905 in a pauper’s field which is now unkempt and has no marker. The record keeper at the cemetery was kind enough to pull out old plot records and showed me exactly where he is buried.

Jerry Gustavson April 11, 2009

I will get copies of the obits  and also a copy of the grave of Luther’s first daughter, Ruth, who is buried here in CS in Evergreen Cemetery. Leona had told me your Great Grandmother, Anna Kristina, was buried in the same plot as Ruth.

I remember Bill (Gustavson) from when I was a little kid. I remember him sitting in your house there and smoking a pipe. He never gave me the time of day, understandable because I was so young. But then later, when I was in my 20’s I visited with him and Madeline (Bil’s wife) at Mom and Dad’s house on Azusa Ave (CA) and found him to be a really nice person. He told me he was a very good tennis player when younger and had played in Glendale (and won) against an opponent who was tennis champion of several states in the mid-west.

As far as Dave-  I have a letter from Dave to Ernie written in Oct 1966 (Miriam had given me this letter shortly after Leona passed)  and written from Cederedge CO and has pictures of their house in Cederedge. He talks about going back to Congress AZ for the winter. Possibly he had two homes- one in AZ and another summer home in Cederedge. (?) He tells

Ernie to “grab a bus right away” and visit them in Congress.

Did Dave have any children, as far as you know?

Carol had sent me copies of correspondence between Madeline and the state of Nevada, looking for any info on Carl’s whereabouts. The response from the state was he had died in Tonopah, NV Oct 26, 1980. This info reached Madeline shortly after Bill’s death so unfortunately too late for Bill to know about his brother.

Again thanks for the info and I will get these sent right away.

Jerry Gustavson April 11, 2009

 

Hi everyone,
Sitting here on my day off, listening to music and drinking hot coffee. I have a mile long “to do” list, but I’m going to ignore it while I type away to my family.

Things in Craftsbury are pretty good. Spring is here and with it, sugaring. The weather has been very agreeable to making syrup, so the sugar houses have been going full steam now for awhile. The temps need to be freezing or below at night and above freezing during the day in order for the sap to flow. If it stays too warm, the sap starts changing, getting bitter and moving to the branches which causes budding. If it stays too cold, nothing happens. Mud and brown grass is everywhere, but as Cheryl says, that’s the price you need to pay in order to really enjoy and appreciate the summer. I’ve started eggplants and tomatoes and now there is a bit of lull before I can start anymore seeds. I’ve laid down cardboard in the front yard in an attempt to start some new perennial beds by killing the sod. I hope to install gravel paths from the front doors to the drive, clean and prune up the midstory plants that exist now and more. I’ve got a plan to scrape the trim around the house and pressure wash the vinyl siding when it is warm enough. My friend has offered to help me paint the house with a sprayer. She was a house painter in another life…This will all take a lot more time than money, but it would be good to live in a house that looks good from the outside as it slowly comes together on the inside.

I’ve started running again and hope to get back on my bike before long. It feels good to be active and I need to remember that the next time I get busy to the point of neglecting myself. Today, I plan to do some “spring cleaning” in the house. It means packing away and moving out things that belonged to Morgan and I, but it’s a good, therapeutic thing to do. He and I have come to some agreements about the kids, including changing their schedules so that they are only moved once a week. We are hammering out details this week. All that’s left now is to come to an agreement about the school year (I am pushing to have the kids for 10 days and then a long weekend with him) which is understandably hard for him to agree to. Hoping a mediator will get us through that bump without too many battle wounds, but I’m ready for it either way.

My job at Sterling is a mixed bag. Still struggling with the heirarchy and politics of a tiny, private school and the egos involved as well as feeling like what I do there is not sustainable in the long run. On the otherhand, because of the work I’ve been doing, I am being asked by different organizations to speak on bringing local foods into an institutional setting or being interviewed by print media. I’m doing a workshop in Kentucky at the end of May then hosting a roundtable discussion with local chefs at the Rural Heritage Institute in mid June, which is also hosted by Sterling. Reporters have been coming by here and there and my work with Salvation Farms is stirring the pot a bit. My cooking classes are apparently quite the hit and we are getting regular requests to do more. That said, all this attention feels a bit false and overwhelming. I don’t believe myself an expert, just an enthusiast and I’m not sure how to balance all this gracefully. Guess we’ll see what happens over time.

Now the kids. They are my joy. Corny, but true. Grace and Mason are excelling in school and seem to be well liked by teacher and students alike. Everyone is getting along well and all three are bookworms. Grace has started working at Pete’s farm once a week in an attempt to save enough money to buy a horse. Not sure how long that will last, but she is enjoying herself. She is also taking a pottery class in Wolcott once a week that she loves. Mason has decided Tee Ball just isn’t his thing and has let me know he doesn’t want to spend any more time away from me than he has to. He also goes to Pete’s once a week to ride on the tractor, but is quite happy to stay home and play with Lilli. Lillian is her silly, smart little self. A couple of weeks ago, she walked into the room I was in to show me her new haircut. Yes, Lilli cut all her hair off in the space of 3 minutes, except for a few straggly bits she couldn’t quite reach. She was so proud of herself, that I just couldn’t be mad. The three of them make me smile, if not laugh out loud, every day.  Still figuring out the summer and the possibility of coming to California. It’s looking unlikely that I can come in early June for Liz’s graduation, but maybe at the end of the month…

Anyway, time to get back to my “to do” list. I love you all. Enjoy the picture. (See on Flickr Link)

Elena

 

April 3, 2009 Email from Patti Jo Ranous:

Hi all,

The good – make that great - news is that Kyle (Ranous) is now in Atlanta, on a shuttle and headed to Ft. Benning. His flight from Germany landed about one hour ago. His training begins Sunday morning and he doesn’t know at this point what his accessibility will be. I am deeply grateful for his protection over the past many months. This next step is a huge challenge on many levels. He could probably use your prayers and good thoughts out in the universe. He’s a good man and I am very proud of him.

love,

Patti Jo (Ranous, Mother)

 

March 29, 2009 Email from Miriam Wegemer: My daughter Jeanne (Zornes) just called (3:30 Sun) and Graham (son) is being rushed to the hospital with a head injury snowboarding – convulsions – travel safety for Jeanne as she drives up to the hospital thru the weekend loonies love and prayer,Miriam.  Follow up message from Jeanne on cuzbuzz site: “CAT scan looks good, he’s torn a ligament on his thumb that will need surgery”. So, apparently just a boyhood miahap!

 

Family Weddings

April 18, 2009 http://www.mywedding.com/lizandbrian Site for Brian Gustavson and Liz Carroll wedding April 18, 2009 in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Brian is Dick Gustavson’s Son.

March 28, 2009 http://www.mysite.weddingsolutions.com/chrisanddeb2009/ Site for Debbi Gunn and Chris Wallace March 28 wedding in Burlingame CA. Debbie is Eleanor Gustavson’s niece.

 

Family Losses 2008

December 31, 2008 The Ed and Ruth Gustavson family , sadly, lost three of its members in 2008: Doug
Wegemer, March 29th, Cindy Case August 29th and Eleanor Gustavson, December 31st. There were no additions.

 

Eleanor Gunn Gustavson

Eulogy given by Don Gustavson, her son, at her funeral service
January 8, 2009, Holy Family Catholic Church, Glendale CA
Father Shea, Presiding

First let me, on behalf of the family, thank Fr. Shea for returning to Holy Family and presiding at our Mom’s funeral mass. It was in this church that Mom and Dad were married 64 years ago and it is here that she wished her funeral to be held, with Fr. Shea.

I am up here to share a brief memory of Eleanor Elizabeth Gunn Gustavson, wife of Gene, mother of five, grandmother of 17, great grandmother of 13. College graduate. Southern Belle. Early Disney employee. Business owner. Volunteer extraordinaire. Long time, active member of Sweet Adelines. Friend to everyone she met.

How do we remember someone? Do we count the numbers of friends? Do we list historical dates? Is it jobs held? Career accomplishments? Children Raised? Tragedies endured? Triumphs achieved?

We measure our memory by all of those things in some way but the most telling of memories come from our distinct relationship with that person. Eleanor was married to Eugene, for over 64 years. They had their own special and loving relationship, that grew closer as they grew older together. She was the mother of five and to each of us she was a slightly different mother. She was the grandmother and great-grandmother to 30 and to each of them she was a slightly different granny. Because each connection between two people is unique to that moment and those two individuals.

Therefore, each of us here – friend or family – had a relationship with Eleanor, who I am lucky enough to call Mom. A relationship that was identical to no one else’s. We each of us here have memories of her that no one else has and no one else ever will have. But there, is, I think, a common thread to each of our memories. A connection that has nothing to do with time or space but rather with heart and soul.

I think I can remember Mom best by sharing two vignettes from her life that illuminate her relationships with all around her – which shine a light on her heart and soul. We each might choose something different but whatever we chose would take us to the same spot of admiration for her life. Remember this is not all – not nearly all of my Mom’s life. The reminiscing our family shared around the hospital bed as Mom lay dying, the memories shared at the Vigil, the memories and mementos you will hear and see at the Afterglow this afternoon are all together just a fraction of her wonderful life.

First I remember the stockings. We always have stockings hung at Christmas. A family tradition. As the years have passed we have added to them and this Christmas we had dozens. Stockings for all of the family, of course, whether they were able to be there or not. But also for anyone else who was at Mom and Dad’s house for our Christmas celebration. Mom insisted that there be a stocking with small gifts for everyone. And there was always someone else – a boy friend or girl friend, an exchange student, a roommate. And they would get a stocking with the same things we all got – paper clips, candy, rubber bands, playing cards, pencils, pens, cheap flashlights. All the necessities of life.

No one in the family ever hesitated to invite someone to Grandma and Grandpa’s house for Christmas because they knew they would be welcome and they knew they would get a stocking. We all will brag a little about the insanity of 40 or 50 people overflowing out of the living room while opening presents and riffling through stockings. We were very proud of that few hours of Christmas Chaos through which swirled a lot of Love.

My Second memory is the Songs. No one particular song but all the songs that filled her and our lives. She loved to sing and she loved beautiful singing. She sang to us when we were little, as she did to our children and to their children. Her greatest passion outside of her family was her singing with Sweet Adelines. She loved to get up on stage in full, glittery costume wearing tons of glittery make-up, with long false eyelashes and sing in beautiful complex harmony. She loved to practice hard and sing in competition. She loved the friendships and the good times with her band of sisters, but most of all singing filled her with happiness – and in song she was fulfilled.

Stockings and songs. Those are my sweet memories. Stockings filled with love for all. Songs filled with joy in life. To our wonderful father who was devoted to his beloved wife we also offer these memories and all this love, because it was their love that made it possible.

May we all remember Eleanor with love and joy and do our best to pass that love and joy on to others. I expect if I am fortunate enough to arrive where I finally hear the choirs of angels sing, that she will be there in full voice. And I will know her by the extra glitter on her wings. We love you Mom.

 

Eleanor Gunn Gustavson

January 8, 2009 We conducted funeral services and had a celebration of life, afterwards, for Eleanor Gunn Gustavson who passed away December 31, 2008. The services filled the church with her large family and many friends present. The funeral services, conducted by Father Shea at the Holy Family Catholic Church, in Glendale CA, was the same church she and Gene, her husband, were married in November 26, 1944. Beside her Husband, Eleanor is survived by five children, 16 grand children, 14 great grand children and 7 current and ex spouses of children

ELEANOR ELIZABETH (GUNN) GUSTAVSON
September 14, 1920 – December 31, 2008

It is hard to put in writing how I feel about the death of my dear wife, Eleanor, after over 64 years of delightful marriage. But I’ll make the effort because I’ll miss her terribly. I was sort of hoping we’d be together six more years to make our marriage 70 years and I’d reach the century mark in age. But, it was a dream not to be.

Although, she was outgoing and tended to openly express her emotions and made many friends along the way, I tended to be far more reserved. In many ways, we were polar opposites in that regard. Maybe, that’s why our marriage got along so well? Almost never in the 64 years of marriage was there a serious argument and disagreements were a minimum.

I tended to overlook anything I viewed as her faults and she certainly must have overlooked my many faults which I readily admit. For that trait she harbored, I’ll forever be very thankful. I’m sure she put up with my shortcomings out of our mutual love for each other.

From 1945 to 1954, we had five wonderful , loving children, four boys Don, Dick, Ralph , Bob (Bart) and one girl, Patti Jo.. Every one were with her when she passed away and had she been aware of their presence, she would be overjoyed with the concern and love they expressed.

She did a wonderful job of looking after them during their formative years and not only loved them very much until her death but was always concerned with the wellbeing of each of them and their families. As a wife and mother, no one that ever lived who could have done a better job. For the sacrifices and care she always undertook, I’ll forever be grateful.

Her health had been in a slow, painful decline for the last five years of her life. That something was wrong became apparent when she passed out in the DMV restroom while waiting to renew her driving license in September 2003. We took her to Verdugo Hills Urgent Care and , after examination, sent her by ambulance to the Glendale Memorial Hospital Emergency Room. After examination, the ER doctor admitted her for further hospital treatment and evaluation.

At that time and since, she was diagnosed as suffering with congestive heart failure, poor kidney function and other evidence of marginal health. Despite, those problems, she regained a fairly normal life, renewed her driver license and continued many of her normal life routines. But her gradual declining health caused her much discomfort and much pain very difficult to bear. It became worse the last couple years before her death and she mentioned a few times she just couldn’t bear it any longer.

She had a pacemaker implanted in September 2004 and her collapsing knee operated on in April 2008 which allowed her to move around without confinement to a wheelchair..

I did as much as I could; but not enough, to make her life as comfortable as possible. I wish I could have done more to ease her discomfort and pain the last few years. I will forever regret not taking action to delay the ablation procedure the doctor wanted to perform as her pulse had returned to a normal range the last two weeks and I wondered if the procedure was really necessary. She also was apprehensive about the procedure but we thought it was pretty routine and would benefit some of her health problems.

Unfortunately, how wrong we were as had the procedure not been performed, I’m sure she would have had several months, if not years, of life remaining. As discomfort and painful for her those months or years might have been, at least she would still be with us.

Without explaining her health problems, in detail or chronologically, over the last five years, I have recorded them, as “EGGMED” in Lotus format, and would be happy to print out a copy for anyone who can’t access the Lotus file on the computer

The love and affection shown by her children, grand children, great grand children and many friends during her final illness and passing services was beyond comprehension. All of her family worked so hard to be sure her services reflected their love for her. For those contributions, I am very grateful.

Goodbye Dear Eleanor.
We will always have our love for you and won’t forget you the rest of our lives.
Your Husband, Gene
All your Children, Grandchildren, Great Grand-Children and Friends

 

Eleanor Gunn Gustavson

December 28, 2008 Eleanor Gustavson is in the Critical Care Center of Glendale Memorial Hospital for tests and treatment following discovery that she had developed fluid around her heart. This resulted following heart ablation and cardioversion procedures performed December 22nd in an effort to control pulse rate and reduce dependency on some medication.

December 31, 2008 Eleanor passed away at age 88. Her birth date is September 20, 1920

 

Eleanor Gustavson

December 28, 2008 Eleanor Gustavson is in the Critical Care Center of Glendale Memorial Hospital for tests and treatment following discovery that she had developed fluid around her  heart. This resulted following heart ablation and cardioversion procedures performed December 22nd in an effort to control pulse rate and reduce dependency on some medication.

 

Family Military Service

As I listened to the following, I counted all those of us who had served both by joining the military and by sitting home and waiting for those who went in harm’s way.

Gustavson Family members who served in the U.S.military.
Here are the ones I (Dick Gustavson) came up with:

Don Gustavson, US Army, Korea (a long time ago – Late 1960’s)
Dick Gustavson, US Navy, (not so long ago Until 2007)
Ralph Gustavson, US Army, Vietnam (a long time ago Early 1970’s)
Brian Gustavson, US Navy, (not so long ago for five years after US NAVAL ACADEMY Graduation in 1998)
Jennifer Ranous Rodgers, US Air Force, (not so long ago Until 2007)
Thuy Bayer, US Army (not so long ago Until late 1990’s)
Billy Rogers, US Army, (still serving December 2008)
Kyle Ranous, US Army, (still serving December 2008)

And then there are the “Mom’s”:
Pat Ranous – triple Blue Star Mom
Grandma – triple Blue Star Mom and quadruple Blue Star Grandma

 

Kyle Ranous Home on Leave

December 2, 2008 Kyle Ranous arrived in California on leave from his base in Germany where he is now stationed following a 15 month tour of duty in Iraq. He will visit friends and family in California and Colorado before returning to Germany January 2, 2009.

 

Debbie Gunn and Chris Wallace Marriage

November 24, 2008 Debbie Gunn and Chris Wallace announce their wedding plans for March 28, 2009
at http://www.mysite.weddingsolutions.com/chrisanddeb2009/ (Debbie is Eleanor Gustavson’s niece)

 

Rus Gustavson email re Nancy Gustavson Illness

November 22, 2008
Nancy is staying at a hotel in Seattle. Nancy had been having a cough for several weeks/months, so she went to see her doctor in Sitka for treatment. She received a chest x-ray and after a follow up CT scan was immediately sent to Seattle where chemotherapy was started. She has just had her second dose. Apparently she has been doing very well with that and the doctors have had encouraging reports for her in that they believe she is in otherwise good health, which should make her treatment more tolerable.

She has had an MRI of her brain and that was negative. The doctors are saying there is no evidence of cancer in any major organs, and they remain very encouraging and optimistic. This is the information we are hearing from Nancy.

Nancy would love to receive letters and calls, though she did state to me that it was taxing on her to rehash her health issues over and over again. She is a bit concerned about being out in public as the chemotherapy decreases her immunity.

Her address in Seattle is: Baroness Hotel
Room 304
1005 Spring St
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 624-0787

 

Nancy Gustavson Illness

November 20, 2008 Email from Phil Gustavson re Nancy Gustavson illness
Nancy is having a bout with Cancer in her lungs and spread a bit. She reports she is undergoing chemotherapy in Seattle (Miriam may be in contact). She says she is tolerating the chemicals ok, but the second treatment yesterday took five hours.
She’s being pretty low-key about it but I think it is pretty bad from what she has told me and my research. She will need lots of prayers and a miracle or two.
Jerry is there and back to Sitka, leaving her to fend, i.e. get bored. Lesley has sent books. Treatment is at Swedish Hospital, and she is staying at a residence hotel nearby. I think she said there will be several “three-week”treatments over several months, so lots of opportunity for her to visit/stay with Miriam maybe.

 

Kyle Ranous on Way Home from Iraq

kyle has safely completed his 15 month tour of duty in Iraq and is now in Germany with intent to be home (in California) by early December before his next assignment which is believed to be Fort Benning in Georgia USA

 

Note from Miriam Wegemer

October 22, 2008
Lynne (my daughter) has started a blog site, too now – lots of nice pictures of the area...
http://www.JosephinesMountain.blogspot.com/