James R. Gustafson

James R. Gustafson was born in Odebolt, Iowa, November 24, 1943, the son of Russell and Ellen Nelson Gustafson. He was raised on the farm in Wheeler Township, four miles north of Kiron, Iowa, with his sister, Mari, two years his senior, and considered it a privilege to have grown up in a Christian home. He received his education in the Odebolt-Arthur Schools from which he graduated high school with the class of 1961. Following high school, Jim entered the Humboldt Institute in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on July 6, 1961. His studies there concluded with a job offer from the Burlington Railroad in Chicago as a rail passenger reservation clerk. He began his employment there on November 6, 1961, and remained there until April 30, 1963. Not yet ready to return to the farm in Iowa, Jim searched for work in Omaha, Nebraska, and was hired as a counter clerk for Brandies Budget Rent-A-Car on May 15, 1963. He worked his way up to manager and continued there until December 31, 1969. Jim met his future wife, Mary Ulrich, on July 27, 1968 at the wedding of mutual friends and they were united in marriage April 5, 1969, at Mary’s home church in Norfolk, Nebraska. They made their home for a brief time in Omaha, Nebraska, before moving to the farm south of Kiron, Iowa, in 1970, so that Jim could help his father Russell with the farming operation. During those early years of their marriage Jim and Mary were blessed with the birth of their three children, Rachel in February, 1971, Ruth in January, 1974, and Daniel in September, 1976; they also moved to the farm home north of Kiron. Jim and Mary ran a “family farm” involving all family members in each part of the operation. They made a lot of hay (the hard way) and Jim was especially known for growing quality seed oats and alfalfa which he sold for more than twenty years. When changing health and circumstances dictated a career change, Jim chose the insurance business and his reputation for honest and trustworthy advice with dependable service earned him the respect of his many clients. Having been baptized during his teenage years at the Kiron Baptist Church Jim spent his life loving and serving his Lord. He was an active member of the Evangelical Free Church in Arthur where he served in a variety of offices, was a Deacon Board Member, and with his wife Mary, was active in the AWANA program for youth and started a special outreach program of serving several catered meals throughout the year to local widow ladies. For over 35 years, he also relished his service with Gideons International in which he held many local and state positions. He enjoyed doing Scripture distributions in classrooms and on sidewalks in front of schools and on college and university campuses. Also during his years with the Gideons he spoke at Pastors’ Banquets and in many churches. In addition to his many church activities, Jim enjoyed being of service to others in his community. In the early years of his marriage, he was part of the Kiron Community Club, which included a turn as Softball Commissioner. He also served as Wheeler Township Clerk (20 years), as a board member of KELM (25 years), Resident Advocate for the Odebolt Nursing and Rehab Center (15 years), and Odebolt Memorial Walk board member (15 years). He participated in the mentoring program at the Odebolt-Arthur Community School, and was instrumental in getting a local translator signal tower to rebroadcast the Christian radio station KGBI from Omaha. In his spare time he enjoyed collecting antique tractors (both red and green) that had belonged to family members in years past. With a love for traveling, Jim and Mary were privileged to travel together to Sweden, Slovakia, Jordan, Hawaii and other states too numerous to mention. During their travels they made it a point to stop and visit their many friends and family around the world. In November of 2008, Jim and Mary moved from the farm into Arthur where he currently resided. Jim died, surrounded by his loving family, Friday, December 18, 2009, at the Horn Memorial Hospital in Ida Grove, Iowa. At the time of his death he had been blessed with 66 years and 24 days. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Russell and Ellen Gustafson. Those remaining to cherish his memory include his wife of over forty years, Mary Gustafson of Arthur, Iowa; three children: Rachel and husband, Darren Masters of Kiron, Iowa; Ruth and husband, Dr. Ralph Bethea III of Republic, Missouri; and Dan Gustafson of Arthur, Iowa; 11 grandchildren: Nathan, Amelia, Elise, Joshua, Annika, Jessica, Tristan, Tessa, Cade, Cayla and Cassie; one sister, Mari Sico of Huntley, Illinois; one niece, Amy Clark of Dacula, Georgia, as well as many cousins and a host of neighbors and friends. Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, December 22, 2009, at the Evangelical Free Church in Arthur, Iowa, with Pastor Glen Lozier officiating. Music for