Gustafson, John Frederick (1845-1925)

GUSTAFSON, SWANSON, ERICKSON

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 12/12/2020 at 10:52:00

Stratford Courier
July 9, 1925

J.F. GUSTAFSON DIED ON NATIONS BIRTHDAY; WAS 80 YEARS

The sudden death on Saturday, July 4th, of John F. Gustafson, at his home in the country east of town, came as a real sad blow to the many friends of the deceased and his family in this community. He had been ill for a couple of weeks with a form of rheumatism and had been confined to his home, but just a few days before his death the malady attacked his heart and hastened the end.

He was one of the highly respected and prominent farmers of this vicinity. He had prospered through his unfailing and hard work and by his supreme honesty in dealing with mankind. He was one of the substantial and pioneer men of the county and his sudden taking away just when he had arrived at an age as well as at a place in his very useful life where he could well afford to enjoy the fruits of his work, is indeed sad, and his bereaved wife and children have the sincere sympathy of everyone in their sorrow.

He had been a resident of Hamilton County for fifty-nine years and had lived east of town for forty-four years and was a few months passed 80 years old on the day of his death.

Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon from the home.

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Stratford Courier
July 16, 1925

OBITUARY

John F. Gustafson ws born in Floby Parish, Västra Götaland, Sweden, on March 29, 1845. He came to America in 1866 and located in Galesburg, Ills. He was united in marriage to Miss Mathilda Swanson at ?, Ills., on March 31, 1874. Their matrimonial union was blessed with eight children, six sons and two daughters. Two of the sons died in infancy and a third son passed away in 1917 at the age of 26 years.

He came to Iowa with his family in 1881 and located on a farm in Hamilton county east of Stratford on which he lived continuously until a few years ago. He built a home on another piece of land a short distance west of the old home place and has since resided there. Thus he has lived in this community for forty-four years continuously.

Deceased had been in failing health the past year and the last two weeks he had been confined to his home and mostly to his bed. His last illness was fraught with more or less suffering which he bore with real fortitude and he passed away peacefully at 5:45 p.m. on July 4, 1925, having reached the advanced age of 80 years, 3 months, 5 days. Until this last illness came to him he had been spry and able to look after the work about his farm being an unusually strong man for one of his years.

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Mathilda Gustafson, and five sons and daughters, namely: Mrs. John Erickson, Henry F. Gustafson, Mrs. Oscar Erickson and Rudolph Gustafson, all of the Stratford community, and Chas. E. Gustafson of Boone; one brother and one sister, and seventeen grandchildren also survive besides a large number of friends and neighbors.

Deceased was one of highly honored and esteemed citizens of this community. He was elected and served in the capacity of assessor for eight years and was justice of the peace for twenty-four years. He lived a simple life and was unassuming but he was a man of true generosity, kind and good and his passing came as a sad blow to a very large number of friends here. He was not one of the earliest of the pioneers to locate in this section of the state, yet he lived through many of the privations and self-denials of the days of low prices for what was produced on the farm. He had lived a good life and a simple one but as a man's man he will be missed in the years to come.

Funeral services were held from the home on Tuesday, July 7th, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. Rev. Edwin Sahlen of the South Marion M.E. church officiated and a mixed quartet from the church sang several appropriate hymns. Interment was made in the South Marion cemetery.

Card of Thanks
We desire to express our heartfelt appreciation and thanks to all our neighbors and friends for their love and sympathy in our bereavement of the death of our dear husband and loving father and also for the rich and beautiful floral contributions. Mrs. Mathilda Gustafson and children.