Alf H. Gustafson, age 90, died from the effects of pneumonia at Gladeview Healthcare in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.
Born in Portland, Connecticut to Charles and Amelia Gustafson, he was one of seven children born to the couple who had immigrated from Sweden. Alf's father was a boat-builder, and they lived in a house just across the street from the Connecticut River. The river became the playground and source of entertainment and employment for Alf and his two brothers as they were growing up, beginning Alf's lifelong interest and attraction to the water as the focus of his employment.
He married Marjorie A. Maynard from across the river in Middletown on December 23, 1939 after she had learned to share some of his love of boating and learned how important it was to him. They had one daughter born 4 days after Pearl Harbor was attacked, and another born just before he entered the U.S. Navy, where he served proudly on the U.S.S. Vixen, flagship of the Atlantic Fleet's Admiral. After the war, he captained a 48 ft. yacht for an owner from Middletown, often wintering in Florida. He captained a number of other local yachts, running up and down the East Coast via the Inland Waterway, at a time in history when yachting was a friendly business - when people waved from bridges and docks and to each other on the water as they passed.
Marjorie and Alf added a third daughter in 1949, which completed their family; all three daughters were instructed "Don't run on the dock!" during the course of their education and exposure to boats and the water which comprised their father's way of life. A Sunday drive frequently involved visiting various boatyards and docks -"just to see what's going on". Years later after buying a home in Westbrook, CT, Alf was working for a dredging company when a large, old anchor was dredged up from a harbor: that anchor ended up in the front yard of their home, where it became a local institution, especially at Christmas when they decorated it with Christmas lights.
Two of their grown daughters added three granddaughters to the family, and they, in turn added two great-granddaughters and five great-grandsons to the extended family.
Alf was predeceased by his parents; his wife, Marjorie; his older brother, Arnold Gustafson; sisters Ethel Lamb, and Helen Spencer. He is survived by daughters, Karlynn J. Gustafson, Gail M. Smith and Sharon L. Daly; granddaughters, Kristi L. Parker, Eden M. Smith and Misti Russell; great-grandchildren: Neil Toland and Josh Toland; Kara McCafferty, Samuel and Emma Shepard; and Zachary and Benjamin Russell. He is survived by a brother, Clifford Gustafson, and two sisters, Margaret Randazzo and Jane Bartolotta, all of Middlesex County, and many nieces and nephews. He was always "Uncle Alfie" to those nieces and nephews.
Alf is missed for his gentle ways, his dry wit, his quiet compassion, his refusal to hurry when opening packages, his knowledge and skills in the boating world, his mystifying ability to identify tankers and freighters from a great distance and his astonishing ability to quote poetry memorized when he was a youngster. He would have been pleased and proud of his military color guard at the graveside service.
Born in Portland, Connecticut to Charles and Amelia Gustafson, he was one of seven children born to the couple who had immigrated from Sweden. Alf's father was a boat-builder, and they lived in a house just across the street from the Connecticut River. The river became the playground and source of entertainment and employment for Alf and his two brothers as they were growing up, beginning Alf's lifelong interest and attraction to the water as the focus of his employment.
He married Marjorie A. Maynard from across the river in Middletown on December 23, 1939 after she had learned to share some of his love of boating and learned how important it was to him. They had one daughter born 4 days after Pearl Harbor was attacked, and another born just before he entered the U.S. Navy, where he served proudly on the U.S.S. Vixen, flagship of the Atlantic Fleet's Admiral. After the war, he captained a 48 ft. yacht for an owner from Middletown, often wintering in Florida. He captained a number of other local yachts, running up and down the East Coast via the Inland Waterway, at a time in history when yachting was a friendly business - when people waved from bridges and docks and to each other on the water as they passed.
Marjorie and Alf added a third daughter in 1949, which completed their family; all three daughters were instructed "Don't run on the dock!" during the course of their education and exposure to boats and the water which comprised their father's way of life. A Sunday drive frequently involved visiting various boatyards and docks -"just to see what's going on". Years later after buying a home in Westbrook, CT, Alf was working for a dredging company when a large, old anchor was dredged up from a harbor: that anchor ended up in the front yard of their home, where it became a local institution, especially at Christmas when they decorated it with Christmas lights.
Two of their grown daughters added three granddaughters to the family, and they, in turn added two great-granddaughters and five great-grandsons to the extended family.
Alf was predeceased by his parents; his wife, Marjorie; his older brother, Arnold Gustafson; sisters Ethel Lamb, and Helen Spencer. He is survived by daughters, Karlynn J. Gustafson, Gail M. Smith and Sharon L. Daly; granddaughters, Kristi L. Parker, Eden M. Smith and Misti Russell; great-grandchildren: Neil Toland and Josh Toland; Kara McCafferty, Samuel and Emma Shepard; and Zachary and Benjamin Russell. He is survived by a brother, Clifford Gustafson, and two sisters, Margaret Randazzo and Jane Bartolotta, all of Middlesex County, and many nieces and nephews. He was always "Uncle Alfie" to those nieces and nephews.
Alf is missed for his gentle ways, his dry wit, his quiet compassion, his refusal to hurry when opening packages, his knowledge and skills in the boating world, his mystifying ability to identify tankers and freighters from a great distance and his astonishing ability to quote poetry memorized when he was a youngster. He would have been pleased and proud of his military color guard at the graveside service.
Alf H. Gustafson, age 90, died from the effects of pneumonia at Gladeview Healthcare in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.
Born in Portland, Connecticut to Charles and Amelia Gustafson, he was one of seven children born to the couple who had immigrated from Sweden. Alf's father was a boat-builder, and they lived in a house just across the street from the Connecticut River. The river became the playground and source of entertainment and employment for Alf and his two brothers as they were growing up, beginning Alf's lifelong interest and attraction to the water as the focus of his employment.
He married Marjorie A. Maynard from across the river in Middletown on December 23, 1939 after she had learned to share some of his love of boating and learned how important it was to him. They had one daughter born 4 days after Pearl Harbor was attacked, and another born just before he entered the U.S. Navy, where he served proudly on the U.S.S. Vixen, flagship of the Atlantic Fleet's Admiral. After the war, he captained a 48 ft. yacht for an owner from Middletown, often wintering in Florida. He captained a number of other local yachts, running up and down the East Coast via the Inland Waterway, at a time in history when yachting was a friendly business - when people waved from bridges and docks and to each other on the water as they passed.
Marjorie and Alf added a third daughter in 1949, which completed their family; all three daughters were instructed "Don't run on the dock!" during the course of their education and exposure to boats and the water which comprised their father's way of life. A Sunday drive frequently involved visiting various boatyards and docks -"just to see what's going on". Years later after buying a home in Westbrook, CT, Alf was working for a dredging company when a large, old anchor was dredged up from a harbor: that anchor ended up in the front yard of their home, where it became a local institution, especially at Christmas when they decorated it with Christmas lights.
Two of their grown daughters added three granddaughters to the family, and they, in turn added two great-granddaughters and five great-grandsons to the extended family.
Alf was predeceased by his parents; his wife, Marjorie; his older brother, Arnold Gustafson; sisters Ethel Lamb, and Helen Spencer. He is survived by daughters, Karlynn J. Gustafson, Gail M. Smith and Sharon L. Daly; granddaughters, Kristi L. Parker, Eden M. Smith and Misti Russell; great-grandchildren: Neil Toland and Josh Toland; Kara McCafferty, Samuel and Emma Shepard; and Zachary and Benjamin Russell. He is survived by a brother, Clifford Gustafson, and two sisters, Margaret Randazzo and Jane Bartolotta, all of Middlesex County, and many nieces and nephews. He was always "Uncle Alfie" to those nieces and nephews.
Alf is missed for his gentle ways, his dry wit, his quiet compassion, his refusal to hurry when opening packages, his knowledge and skills in the boating world, his mystifying ability to identify tankers and freighters from a great distance and his astonishing ability to quote poetry memorized when he was a youngster. He would have been pleased and proud of his military color guard at the graveside service.
Born in Portland, Connecticut to Charles and Amelia Gustafson, he was one of seven children born to the couple who had immigrated from Sweden. Alf's father was a boat-builder, and they lived in a house just across the street from the Connecticut River. The river became the playground and source of entertainment and employment for Alf and his two brothers as they were growing up, beginning Alf's lifelong interest and attraction to the water as the focus of his employment.
He married Marjorie A. Maynard from across the river in Middletown on December 23, 1939 after she had learned to share some of his love of boating and learned how important it was to him. They had one daughter born 4 days after Pearl Harbor was attacked, and another born just before he entered the U.S. Navy, where he served proudly on the U.S.S. Vixen, flagship of the Atlantic Fleet's Admiral. After the war, he captained a 48 ft. yacht for an owner from Middletown, often wintering in Florida. He captained a number of other local yachts, running up and down the East Coast via the Inland Waterway, at a time in history when yachting was a friendly business - when people waved from bridges and docks and to each other on the water as they passed.
Marjorie and Alf added a third daughter in 1949, which completed their family; all three daughters were instructed "Don't run on the dock!" during the course of their education and exposure to boats and the water which comprised their father's way of life. A Sunday drive frequently involved visiting various boatyards and docks -"just to see what's going on". Years later after buying a home in Westbrook, CT, Alf was working for a dredging company when a large, old anchor was dredged up from a harbor: that anchor ended up in the front yard of their home, where it became a local institution, especially at Christmas when they decorated it with Christmas lights.
Two of their grown daughters added three granddaughters to the family, and they, in turn added two great-granddaughters and five great-grandsons to the extended family.
Alf was predeceased by his parents; his wife, Marjorie; his older brother, Arnold Gustafson; sisters Ethel Lamb, and Helen Spencer. He is survived by daughters, Karlynn J. Gustafson, Gail M. Smith and Sharon L. Daly; granddaughters, Kristi L. Parker, Eden M. Smith and Misti Russell; great-grandchildren: Neil Toland and Josh Toland; Kara McCafferty, Samuel and Emma Shepard; and Zachary and Benjamin Russell. He is survived by a brother, Clifford Gustafson, and two sisters, Margaret Randazzo and Jane Bartolotta, all of Middlesex County, and many nieces and nephews. He was always "Uncle Alfie" to those nieces and nephews.
Alf is missed for his gentle ways, his dry wit, his quiet compassion, his refusal to hurry when opening packages, his knowledge and skills in the boating world, his mystifying ability to identify tankers and freighters from a great distance and his astonishing ability to quote poetry memorized when he was a youngster. He would have been pleased and proud of his military color guard at the graveside service.
