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Gloria Jean Gustafson, 71

Gloria Jean Gustafson, 71, of Greenbush, Minn., passed peacefully in her daughter’s arms on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023, after a heroic 10-year-fight with mantle cell lymphoma.
Gloria Jean Gorsuch was born Feb. 16, 1952, in Karlstad, Minn., to William and Ragna (Haugen) Gorsuch. She was the seventh of 10 children. She grew to womanhood near Karlstad and was raised in the Lutheran faith. In the spring of 1970, Gloria met and soon married the love of her life, Ray “Sparky” Gustafson of Greenbush. They married on Sept. 1, 1970, and the couple made their home on the Gustafson family farm.
Their marriage was quickly blessed with a daughter, Celeste, soon to be followed by another daughter, Brenda. While the girls were little, Gloria worked on the family farm. In 1975, she went to work at Northern Pride in Thief River Falls, Minn., where she remained for 13 years until she embarked on a new adventure at Polaris in Roseau, Minn., where she worked for the next 21 years. After retiring from Polaris, she stayed busy helping at the Greenbush School kitchen and loved seeing all kids. Gloria was a very hard worker all her and was always helping whoever and wherever she could.
Gloria loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and going on adventures with her best friend, Renette Engen. Gloria enjoyed jigsaw puzzles, word finds and mowing her lawn. Gloria spent a lifetime caring for four-legged creatures of any shape and form. Her love of animals was like none other.
She is survived by: her daughter, Celeste (Steve) Engen, of Karlstad; grandchildren Carrie Engen (David Boser), and Justin (Katie) Wojciechowski; great-grandchildren Cameron Boser and Ava Wojciechowski; brothers, Raymond (Carolyn) Gorsuch, of Salem, Ore., Kenneth (Helen) Gorsuch, of Yakima, Wash., David Gorsuch, of Roseau, and Earl (Betty) Gorsuch, of Halma, Minn.; sister, Mary (Rick) Daigre, of Grafton, N.D.; as well as several nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, cousins, and countless friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ray; by her parents; three brothers, Larry Dean, Norman and Ervin; and a sister, Linda.
Funeral services are scheduled for Friday, March 10, 2023, at 11 a.m. in the United Free Lutheran Church, Greenbush. Interment will be in Bethlehem Cemetery, rural Greenbush. Visitation will be held at the church on Thursday, March 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. with a prayer service at 6 p.m.
Austin Funeral Chapel, Hallock, is in charge of the arrangements. www. austinfuneralchapel.com.

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