James A. Gust

A Funeral Service for James A. Gust of Strathcona, MN will be held on Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 2:00PM at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau, MN. Visitation will be held on Friday, July 22, 2016 from 5-7PM at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau, MN with a prayer service at 6:30PM. Interment will be held at National (Gust) Cemetery in Strathcona, MN.

James Anton Gust was born on June 20, 1938 to John and Georgianna (Svoboda) Gust at the Gust family farm in Benwood, Poplar Grove Township, southeast of Badger, MN. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Benwood. He accepted Jesus as his Savior on May 8, 2016.

James attended the little country school in Benwood through the eighth grade and then helped on the family farm. When James was a teenager his dad bought him his first car, which was an old “Model A” two-seat truck with a box in the back. He would drive his sisters to church and also pick up the nuns and bring them to church for Catechism.

He joined the Army National Guard in 1959 and was honorably discharged on January 10, 1966. He worked alongside his dad, and later with his sons, on the family farm, grain farming, milking, and logging in the winters. He also owned and operated his own saw mill where he cut many board feet of lumber each spring. His most memorable logging was when they cut the last of the white pine down south of Williams, and he was one of the first loggers to use a chainsaw at the Northwest Angle. He had worked at Polaris in the early 1960’s and In May 1997, James earned his GED so that he could return to work at Polaris. He also worked at the potato fields in East Grand Forks.

James married Ruth Verdayne Gregerson on August 6, 1960 at the Nannestad Lutheran Church of rural Badger, MN. They had seven sons and one daughter, and their sons eventually worked on the family farm as well. James and Ruth were a fun-loving couple of the 1950s – sweethearts who loved to go to dances at the North Star dance hall of Benwood, or the Smith’s pavilion in Greenbush. They loved to do the jitterbug and polkas and had so much fun together.

While James lived on the Gust farm most of his life, in the year 2000 he and Ruth moved 1.5 miles east to the new home they had been building since 1983. He served on the Poplar Grove town board and was a state fire warden for 30 years. He enjoyed deer hunting, trapping, and picking berries and apples, planting tress and building bird houses. They grew large gardens every year and canned the produce they picked. James also enjoyed cooking with Ruth using old family recipes. He enjoyed taking a drive around the section to see how the boys were doing in the fields. He also enjoyed visits from family and friends, but especially his grandchildren.

James passed away on July 16, 2016 at the Roseau Manor at the age of 78.

James is survived by Ruth, his devoted, caring wife of 56 years; their eight children: Jason (Carol) Gust of Strathcona, MN; Rapheal Gust of Thief River Falls, MN; James (fiancé Pam) Gust Jr. of Badger, MN; Ramona (Dale) Johnston of Roseau, MN; Steven (Missy) Gust of Strathcona; Stuart Gust of Strathcona; Richard (Becky) Gust of Strathcona; and Jeremy (Honi) Gust of Strathcona; their 21 grandchildren: Beth (Tony) Brandon; Travis Walseth; Chantel and Chancey Gust; Cody and Tayler Johnston; Devin and Derrick Corneliusen; Colten, Kylee, Katelyn and Alex Gust; Kyle Gust; Cole and Aiden Quinn; Payton, Ava and Paige Gust; Christian Kilbride, Riley and Ryder Gust; and their great-grandchildren Gracie and Cody Brandon.

He is also survived by his sisters, both of Middle River: Diane (Clarence) Dahl and Arlette (Gary) Pearson; great aunts, Fern Svoboda of Badger and Annie Randall of Deer River, MN; sister-in-laws, Lorraine Hines, Ortonville, MN; Avis Nasland, Willamina, Oregon; Marlys (Glen) Jaenicke, Roseau, MN; Marcella (Tony) Gust, Strathcona, MN; Debbie Gregerson, Caladonia, MN; Sharon Henning, Middle River, MN; brother-in-laws; Garfield (Bonnie) Gregerson, Caladonia, MN; Daryle (Becky) Gregerson, Brownsville, MN; Ardell (Ruth) Gregerson, Coon Rapids, MN; Mayo (Carol) Gregerson, Badger, MN; along with many other relatives and friends.

James was preceded in death by his parents; infant brother Johnnie Gust; and father- and mother-in-law, Gilmore and Alice Gregerson; brothers-in-law Melford Gregerson, of Browerville, MN, Orville Gregerson of Washington and Hilmer Naslund of Oregon.

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