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Gustafson Obituary
Beverly J. Gustafson, age 88, of Aurora, passed away Wednesday, August 30, 2023, at Westfield Quality Care.
Funeral Services will be held at 10 a.m., Wednesday, September 6 at the United Methodist Church in Aurora. Rev. Michelle Reed will officiate. Interment will be in Aurora Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday at Higby-McQuiston Mortuary. Memorials may be made to the family to designate at a later date. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at www.higbymortuary.com.
Beverly J. Gustafson, the daughter of Howard and Florence (Holtz) Russell was born October 25, 1934 at Central City, and passed away at Aurora, on August 30, 2023 at the age of 88.
Beverly grew up near Marquette, on the Russell family farm with her parents and seven siblings. Beverly would milk cows before attending rural school, watched livestock in the ditches and attended horse shows that her family was involved in. Beverly would talk about how she detasseled corn in the summertime. Beverly graduated from Marquette High School and then attended Grand Island Business School and then later worked for Petersen and Petersen in Grand Island. She later met Richard Gustafson who she dated and then married on October 9, 1955 at the United Methodist Church in Marquette. They farmed from 1955-1996 on the family farm where Beverly enjoyed gardening. She would put up vegetables and fruit every year that her family would enjoy. Beverly would say years later she could no longer eat corn because she put up so much sweet corn up over the years that she was tired of it.
Beverly participated in the Everyday Home Makers Extension Club for over 25 years where she held leadership roles. Beverly enjoyed playing cards with Richard in the card club that they belonged to for over 25 years. She also participated in helping with 4-H and Girl Scouts as her daughters grew up. Beverly was a member of the United Methodist Church.
Beverly and Richard retired in 1996 and moved into Aurora, where they spent their time creating rugs to donate to the United Methodist Church, Senior Center and other organization to use for raising money. During retirement Beverly and Richard began square dancing that allowed them to travel to different locations.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Richard on February 14, 2023; two brothers, Robert and Tom Russell; sister, Rosalee Russell and son-in-law, Jon Gellinger.
Those left to cherish her memory are her 4 children, Kathy Gellinger of Aurora, Rick (Andrea) Gustafson of Aurora, Scott (Alyssa) Gustafson of Lincoln and Debbie (Scott) Cutler of Yankton, SD; 16 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren; siblings Melvyn (Sylvia) Russell of Gretna, Sandra (Wendell) Mankin of Aurora, Karen McClure of Palmer and Nancy (Larry) McDonald of Aurora; sister-in-law Darlene Russell of Grand Island, and many nieces and nephews.
