Russell Leroy Gustad

Russell Gustad, of Alexandria and formerly of the Montevideo area, died on Tuesday, August 14, 2001 at the Douglas Co. Hospital in Alexandria at the age of 71.

Funeral services will be conducted on Friday. August 17, 2001 at 1:30 PM at Immanuel Lutheran Church of rural Watson, MN with Rev. Larry Olson officiating.  Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Visitation will be Thursday afternoon and evening, with the family from 7 - 8 PM and with a prayer service at 7 PM at the Anderson Funeral Home in Montevideo.

Russell LeRoy Gustad was born on October 17, 1929 in Cottonwood County, MN to Clifford and Mary (Mattison) Gustad.  He was baptized at Old Westbrook and Confirmed at Highwater Lutheran Churches in Cottonwood County and attended rural schools.  He served in the US Army from 1950 to 1953, serving in Germany.  On November 12, 1955 he was united in marriage to Charlene Thompson at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Montevideo.  They lived and farmed in rural Montevideo until retiring in the late 1980's.  They enjoyed their lake home near Alexandria during retirement years, making it their permanent home in 1994.  He enjoyed woodworking, hunting, fishing, storytelling, living on a lake and building log homes.  He was a long time member of Immanuel Lutheran Church near Watson, MN.

He is survived by his wife Charlene of Alexandria; a daughter, Kimberly Walsh and her husband David of Alexandria, MN and a son, Thomas Gustad and his wife Carol of Fargo, ND; 4 grandchildren, Matthew and Courtney Walsh and Heidi and Adam Gustad; by brothers, Rodney Gustad and his wife Joan of Akeley, MN; Orvis Gustad and his wife Connie of Grand Junction, CO and Dudley Gustad and his wife Angie of Park Rapids, MN; by sisters, Ruth Olson and her husband Wally of Milan, MN; Clarice Velde and her husband John of Clarkfield, MN and Connie Lein and her husband Vernon of Boyd, MN; as well as by numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and 2 sisters, Marlene Shaw and Carol May.