Wesley Evan Gaustad

Wesley Evan Gaustad was born September 19, 1916 in Wallace, Michigan to August and Marie Wallin. In 1918, Marie died during the flu epidemic and Wes was taken in by his maternal grandmother. As a young boy, Wes was sent to Minneapolis to live with his father who had remarried and was working as a streetcar motorman. Family dynamics caused Wes to often visit his paternal grandmother for food and companionship. It was through her church connection, that Wes was invited to live with a family in Woodville, Wisconsin. The Gaustad family, owned a forty acre farm where Wes was put to work carrying wood, water, cleaning barns, chicken pens, etc. During this time in Wes’s life, his last name was legally changed from Wallin to Gaustad. He finished high school in Woodville, Wisconsin walking or skiing to school. Wes bought a cheap clarinet and played in the high school band. After graduation, since further education was not an option, Wes worked for local farmers for room and board or .50 cents a day. Wes started his life time automotive career at Lee Murphy’s Chev garage in Woodville. Advancing, Wes took a position at Harold and Zillman garage in Baldwin, Wisconsin. While listening to the radio at work, Wes learned of the Pearl Harbor attack. Motivated by the bombing announcement, Wes decided to enlist in the U. S. Air Force. Confiding in no one, on December 8, 1941, Wes drove his car to the enlistment center, enlisted and left his car there for the next four years. He was stationed in Honolulu at Fort Shafter for 37 months as a Corporal . Wes was the head dispatcher of Army transportation for about 50-60 units. A job he thoroughly enjoyed. Wes also worked for the Honolulu Rapid Transit Company for about a year repairing bus tires. He only slept four hours a night but was able to save enough money to buy the Gaustad farm. When Wes returned to the states after WWII, he returned to work at Harold and Zillman in Baldwin. June 8, 1946, Wes was married to Georgia McKay of Rush City, Minnesota. In September of 1946, Wes sold the Gaustad farm and moved to Rush City to join Angus McKay in business at the McKay Oil Company. The next twenty years was spent selling fuel oils, gasoline, Skelgas appliances, Oldsmobiles and providing a 24 hour wrecker service. In 1967, Wes started a 15 year job as the transportation director of the Rush City School district. Throughout his life, Wes had other important jobs. He drove school bus for the communities of Rush City, Pine City and North Branch for fifty one years, accident free! After his school bus career ended Wes continued to drive the Heartland Express Bus; a senior citizen transportation van. He was deputized to work for the village of Rush City as a part-time policeman and was involved in several man hunts. Those who knew Wes have commented that, “once he was in pursuit of someone, he almost always got his man”! In 2002, Wes and Georgia were honored with the Rush City Community Service Award and we learned of their endless volunteerism and dedication to their community. Wes’s goal in life was to be helpful. If anyone needed help of any kind, he was always very willing to help! Wes volunteered as a valet parking person at the Fairview Lakes Regional Medical Center in Wyoming and delivered “meals on wheels” for many years. He drove ambulance for the Rush City Volunteer Ambulance Service for thirty years, served on the Rush City Volunteer Fire Department for twenty nine years, was an active member in the American Legion Post # 39 for over sixty years and the Jasper Masonic Lodge for over sixty years. Well deserved in 1997, Wes was honored as the “Outstanding Senior Citizen of Chisago County.” Despite a busy lifestyle, Wes found time to travel and see the world. He and Georgia have visited Europe four times, attended fifty two Elderhostels, enjoyed ten cruises and trips on the Mississippi Queen and Columbia Queen River boats. Wes died at the age of 94 years, Friday July 22, 2011, at the Golden Living Center in Rush City, where he had resided for the past four years. He leaves a host of friends there; both residents and staff. Wes is survived by his wife of sixty five years, Georgia Gaustad, daughter Gail (Ken) Grubbs of Moscow, Idaho; son Lee (Carolyn) Gaustad of Blaine, Minnesota; son-in-law, Ken (Lorraine) Wistrom of Chicago, Illinois; six grandchildren; sonja (Chris) Martin, Kristina (Lyle) Hearn, Julie (Jeremy) Helton, Matthew Grubbs, Karla Gaustad, Christopher (Laura) Gaustad, four great grandchildren; Jack Martin, Sam Martin, Allyson Hearn and Koleton Hearn, his half sister Rose Johnson of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and many nieces, nephews and friends. Preceding Wes in death are his parents, eight siblings and his daughter Faye Wistrom. Rev. Laurie O’Shea will officiate at memorial services; 2:00 P.M. Thursday (7/28/11) at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Rush City with a time of visitation Wednesday evening from 4-8 p.m. at the Olson Chapel in Rush City and one hour prior to the service at church. Music will be provided by James Lindstrom, Allyssa Mattson and the Pine City Senior Singers. Honorary casket bearers include his faithful friends Bob Booth, Duane Nessel and Ray Schoeberl with the inurnment in the First Lutheran Cemetery of Rush City, MN. Military honors for Wes will be provided by the Grothe-Jacobson VFW Post # 6692 and the Rush City American Legion Post # 93. Funeral arrangements for Mr.Wes Gaustad of Rush City have been entrusted to; The Funeral & Cremation Service of Rush City *Olson Chapel* www.funeralandcremationservice.com