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.
Copyright © 2011 The Evangelical Covenant Church.