Charles E. Gustafson

Mass of Christian Burial will be 12 Noon on Friday, July 24, 2009 at Church of Our Lady of the Lakes, rural Spicer for Charles E. Gustafson, age 81, of New London, who passed away peacefully on July 15, 2009 at his home. Burial will take place in Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis with full military honors. Relatives and friends may call after 10 a.m. on Friday at the church, rural Spicer. Daniel-Anderson Funeral Home in Paynesville made the arrangements.

Charles was born April 24, 1928 in Hibbing, MN to Frank and Golden (Boucher) Gustafson. He graduated from Hibbing High School and entered the U.S. Navy in 1946. He served three years in the Navy and in 1949 enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard. He was honorably discharged due to a service-connected disability in 1952. He attended the University of Minnesota in Duluth majoring in Art. He worked as a Commercial Artist and later for the Bechtel Corporation who constructed the Keewatin Power Plant and the Monticello Power Plant. He married LaVon Hemmesch on April 17, 1971. He then went to work for the U.S. Postal Service in St. Cloud. Charles and LaVon moved to their home on Long Lake near Hawick in 1981. He worked part-time at the New London and Spicer Post Offices from 1983-1986. He was a member of Church of Our Lady of the Lakes in Spicer, a life member of VFW Post 428 and DAV Chapter 9 in St. Cloud, American Legion Post 271 in Paynesville and a member of the Masons for over 50 years.

Charles will be remembered for his 24,000 hours of volunteering at the St. Cloud VA Medical Center. He enjoyed gardening, photography, reading and fishing.

Charles is survived by his wife LaVon of New London, sister Dolores Flynn of Hibbing and brother Frank (Fran) Gustafson of Cloquet as well as many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Preceding him in death were his parents, brother Merwin “Budd” Gustafson and nephew Jay Gustafson.

Memorials are preferred to Rice Hospice in Willmar.