Emma Marjorie Anderson Gustafson

ANDERSON, GUSTAFSON

Posted By: Marthann (email)
Date: 9/23/2006 at 16:32:12

Emma Marjorie (Anderson) Gustafson April 7, 1920 - September 6, 2006
Posted with permission from:

Denison Bulletin/Review

Denison IA 51442

09/19/2006

Emma Marjorie Anderson was born on April 7, 1920 in Boyer, Iowa.

She was the 6th child, and first daughter, of Elwood and Edith (Flodine) Anderson.

Her family attended the Odebolt Covenant Church.

As a young adult, she joined the Arthur Evangelical Free Church where she attended until her marriage.

Emma placed her faith in Jesus Christ as her Saviour at an early age and based her life on that faith.

Following her marriage, she and her family made their church home at First Baptist Church in Kiron.

Emma's early education was the Boyer school, followed by attending and graduating from the Odebolt Arthur High School in 1937.

She studied the Normal School training which prepared her to be a teacher.

She taught in a rural school in Wheeler Township, Sac County, Iowa for a short time and the rest of her career of 13 years was spent in the Boyer School.

On August 24, 1955, Emma left teaching to become a full time farm wife when she married Vernal Gustafson at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.

The couple lived on the Gustafson family farm near Kiron. Three children were born to this union; Marilyn, Norman and Gwen.

Emma assisted her husband with their farming and livestock. Vernal passed away in 1998 and Emma spent the rest of her life on their farm, most recently with Gwen as her full-time caregiver.

The family proudly celebrated receiving their Century Farm Award in 2005.

Emma's life was focused on her family.

She cared for her father in their home prior to his death and continued to live with, and care for her severely crippled mother for many more years until she passed away in 1968.

Before her own family arrived, Emma enjoyed spending time with her 15 nieces and nephews.

She loved being with her children and their families.

Through the years, Emma served in various capacities in the churches she attended.

She enjoyed teaching youth, playing the piano and singing.

Her hobbies included weaving rugs and other crafts.

Each year she raised a large garden.

She was an avid reader and always wanted to learn new things.

Until recent years, Emma kept a daily diary which provided an interesting record of years gone by.

She loved to write letters and receive correspondence from many family and friends.

Faith in Jesus Christ was the core of Emma's life.

Her greatest goal was for her family, and extended family, to experience that same faith.

Even as the effects of Alzheimers Disease robbed her of her once keen mind and abilities, she clung to the Lord as her anchor.

She carried a small song book with her and found peace and comfort in singing and reading the scriptures until the very last days of her life.

Emma passed away on September 6, 2006, at the Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison, Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her five brothers, LeRoy, Roland, Lawrence, Wayne and the Rev. Carroll Anderson; two sisters, Adeline and Jane, who died as infants; a granddaughter, Christina Coltrain and a grandson, Mark Sullivan Gustafson.

Left to cherish her memory include her children; Marilyn and her husband, Fred Coltrain of Kiron; Norman and his wife, Stephanie Gustafson of Gardner, Kansas; and Gwen Gustafson of Kiron; 3 grandchildren, Jesse and Claudia Coltrain and Janae Gustafson; her brother-in-law, Willard Gustafson and his wife, Lila of Kiron; two sisters-in-law, Dorothy Anderson of Odebolt and Shirley Olberding of Carroll; plus many other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 9, 2006, at First Baptist Church in Kiron, Iowa, with the Rev. Wayne Fritzinger officiating.

Music for the service included the congregation hymns of "How Great Thou Art" and "Amazing Grace", Deb Gustafson singing, "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" and a recorded selection "My Redeemer Lives" by Nicole Mullen.

Mrs. John W. Larson served as pianist.

Pallbearers included Curtis Anderson, Wally Anderson, Alan Gustafson, James Gustafson, John Gustafson and Marc Gustafson. Interment was at the Kiron Cemetery in Kiron, Iowa.

Following the interment the family invited everyone to return to the church and join them for fellowship and a luncheon prepared and served by the First Baptist Social Committee.

The Pfannebecker Funeral Home in Denison was in charge of arrangements.