Alice B Gustafson
February 19, 1915 — June 19, 2016
Alice B. Gustafson, 101, of Geneseo, formerly of Orion, IL, died Sunday, June 19, 2016, at Hillcrest Home, Geneseo, IL.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, June 24, 2016, at Kirk, Huggins & Esterdahl Funeral Home, Ltd., 1301 4th Street, Orion. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 23, 2016, at the funeral home. Burial will be at Western Township Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Western Township Library or to Hillcrest Nursing Home.
Alice was born on February 19, 1915, in Biggsville, IL, the daughter of Clyde and Ethel Saben Brouse. She married Robert J. Gustafson on April 2, 1942, in Moline, and he preceded her in death on February 11, 1968.
From 1932 to 1934, Alice attended Monmouth College and from 1965 to 1968, she attended the University of Illinois. During the fall of 1968, she attended the National College of Education. From 1968 to 1970, she attended Western Illinois University. She attended Marycrest University in Davenport during the summer of 1969. Alice had been attending Augustana College in Rock Island, IL, from 1959 until she graduated with a B.A. in Music in 1979.
During her college years she was an accompanist for college gym classes, Sunday school orchestra, vocal and instrumentalists in church and school contests. She was also the assistant organist at First Baptist, Orion and volunteer tutor for Henry County Youth Services. Also, she gave piano lessons.
From 1934 to 1940, Alice taught grades 1, 2, 3 and 1through 7 at the Liberty School District in Warren County. From 1940 to 1941, she taught grades 1, 2, and 3 for Little York School District #22. From 1941 to 1942, she taught grades 1, 2, and K for Orion School District #223. From 1943 to 1945, she worked as a purchasing clerk for Deere & Co., in Moline, IL. From 1964 to 1968, she worked as the assistant librarian for Western Township Public Library. From 1968 to 1972, she worked as a first grade teacher and from 1972 to 1974 she worked as an assistant librarian for Orion Unit #223 in Orion, IL.
Survivors include her children, Joseph Richard (Lynn) Gustafson, Rock Island, IL, and Tani (Cary) Grant, Cambridge, IL; son-in-law, Tom Peters, Orion, IL; 4 grandchildren, Jennifer (Rick) Moulton, Clearwater, FL, Joanne (John) Barrera, Chicago, IL, Heather (Bruce) Gainey, Cambridge, IL, and Jarrod (Katy) Grant, O’Fallon, MO; 3 step grand children, Donald Peters, Denver, PA; James Coulter, Silvis, IL, and Dr. Annette Terry, Rock Island, IL; great grandson, Nicholas Gainey; great granddaughter, Gabriella Grant; step great grandchildren, Anna Terry and Hailey Coulter; and her family at Hillcrest Home.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; daughter, Betty Peters; step grandchildren, Lars Sundfor, David Peters, and Doug Peters; sister, Beth Ulum; brother, Marion Brouse.
Memories may be shared online by visiting esterdahl.com.