Gary J. Gustafson

Gary John Gustafson age 87 of Marshfield, passed away early Saturday morning, May 31, 2025, at the Marshfield Medical Center in Marshfield. Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 AM, Monday, June 9, 2025, at the Hansen-Shilling Funeral Home (Veteran’s Parkway) in Marshfield WI. Visitation will be held prior to service from 10:00 AM until time of service. Interment will take place at a later date in McMillan Township.

Gary was born June 22,1937, the only child of John (Pat) Gustafson and Jeanette Marie (Everson) Gustafson in Duluth MN. He graduated from Duluth High School, followed by a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Minnesota/Duluth, and a Master’s in Psychiatric Social Work from the University of Iowa.

While in college at UMD, he met Marie (Mitzie) Malkovich and on May 2nd, 1959, Gary and Mitzie were united in marriage in Duluth, a marriage lasting until Mitzie’s death in 2021.

A daughter Jeanne was born in Duluth, followed by a son Erik in Iowa and their daughter, Kristin after they relocated to Marshfield. There, Gary worked at the Marshfield Clinic for over 30 years as a Psychiatric Social Worker, including serving as Department Chair.

He was a founding member of the Marshfield Curling Club; a lifetime passion of his in which he excelled, being an integral part of many bonspiel winning rinks. He was also an accomplished golfer including coaching the UW Marshfield campus golf team. Gary also enjoyed hockey and all shooting sports.

He was an outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting and time in the woods near his home on the Little Eau Pleine River in McMillan Township near Marshfield.

Gary is survived by his children: Jeanne Sykora (Luke), Erik (Rhonda), and Kristin Seyfert (Tom), Grandchildren Zeke, Bethany, Jordan, Logan, Danica, Schuyler, and great-grandchildren Amare, Anasia, Annabelle, Sophia, Austin, and Kera.

The world will be so much less interesting now without Gary and his fascinating stories, of his wealth of lifetime experiences. He leaves a void and will be missed.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents: Pat and Jean Gustafson and his wife of 62 years Mitzie.

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