Obituary for Richard B. Gustafson Dick Gustafson of Saginaw, Michigan passed away on Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at his home. Age 78 years. The son of Richard O. Gustafson and grandson of Demosthenes and Marianthi Booth was born on April 4, 1940 in Sault Ste.
Marie, Michigan and spent the next 18 years in the “Soo”. He was very proud of his Spartan heritage and of being a native “Yooper”. He attended Sault High School and was a member of the 1956 unbeaten State championship football team, and upon graduate in 1958 traveled to Williamsburg, Virginia, where he entered The College of William & Mary.
Dick majored in Business Management and Economics. He was a member of Phi Kappa Tau social fraternity holding several offices including Vice-President. He had two long time roommates and true “brother”, Donald G. Farrell and David A. Heenan.
He volunteered for the U.S. Marine Corps Officer’s Program during college. During that time, he visited with Lt. General Lewis B. “Chesty” Pullar, USMC, Ret.
on many occasions. Upon graduating, he began active duty with the Marine Corps at Quantico, Virginia. Suffering a serious injury, he was discharged a disabled Veteran.
Dick started work at 10 years of age for Booth Produce Company, a family owned produce and beer wholesaler, as a warehouseman/deliveryman during summers and holidays. Upon his discharge from USMC, he started work for Humble Oil & Refining Company, now Exxon Mobil. Rapidly advancing, he became Essotane (Propane and Butane) Supervisor for Virginia.
He then relocated to a subsidiary of Union Oil Company as Unigas District Manager for Northern California, Oregon and Washington. Dick then took a position with PARGAS, Inc., as Executive Assistant to a Sr. Vice-President at its Maryland headquarters. He later became SE Division Manager.
PARGAS was the largest LPG company in the country at that time. Dick was cited as the youngest executive, 29 years old, in the industry by several publications. Tired of travel, he entered law school at The College’s Marshall-Wythe School of Law.
Upon graduation in 1973, he began practice in Bay City, Michigan, where he eventually concentrated in underground (water/sewer, wastewater and sewage plants, construction and insurance litigation representing both plaintiffs and defendants. For a time, he and a partner held the record for the largest paid judgment against the Michigan State Police. The case continues to be cited as a leading precedent for police arrests.
Amongst other cases, he secured a judgment against both a sitting circuit judge and an attorney for silent fraud which has never been done before nor since. He continued until suffering a major stroke in 2004 which left him paralyzed confined to a wheelchair. He was a member of numerous clubs and associations.
He met Betty Lou, his longtime caregiving wife, in Norfolk, Virginia, over 52 years ago. She survives him along with two sons, Richard Gustsfson and Christopher (Kerry) Gustafson and two granddaughters, Hadley and Kinsley. Dick was preceded in death by his father, grandparents, a very special aunt, Georgia Booth Kafcas and a special uncle, Con Booth.
Funeral Liturgy will take place at 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 9, 2018 at St. Demetrious Greek Orthodox Church, 4970 Mackinaw Rd. Fr. Timothy Cook will officiate with interment in Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Friends may visit at the church where the family will be present on Friday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to any Aleda E. Lutz V.A. Medical Center. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Richard B. Gustafson please visit our Sympathy Store.
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