David Gustafson

David Gustafson, 77, died Sept. 24 of heart failure while working in his yard at the family home in Lemolo.

He was born at Swedish Hospital in Seattle on May 6, 1927 the son of Milton Gustafson and Estrid (Backstrom) Gustafson.

He was raised in Seattle and spent summers at the family summer home in Lemolo.

He graduated from Roosevelt High School, joined the Navy and saw duty in Hawaii after Pearl Harbor.

Upon returning from the service he attended Whitman College in Walla Walla graduating with a degree in chemistry in 1950.

While at Whitman he met and married Renee Reinhardt. He then served in the Korean War as an Army First Lieutenant.

After the war, he attended the University of Washington and received his teaching certificate, after which the family moved to Lemolo full time, in 1955, where he began teaching at North Kitsap High School. He taught chemistry and physics with great enthusiasm and pleasure.

In the early 1960s he attended Washington State University for four summers where in received a master’s degree.

In 1965, he transferred to the Shoreline School District and commuted via the Kingston ferry until his retirement in 1983.

A master teacher who was popular with his students, he received many teaching honors during his tenure.

He was a life-long learner himself and after taking early retirement due to heart problems, he took up active interest in many things including stone sculpting, woodcarving, gardening and brewing beer.

As a retiree, he became an avid reader and generous volunteer at the Northwest Marine Science Center in Poulsbo.

He also delighted in spending time at the family cabin in Forks, where he loved to fish the rivers and walk the nearby ocean beaches.

Later in his retirement he enjoyed being a substitute teacher at North Kitsap High School.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years Renee Gustafson; his sister Louise Boice of Bothell, and his three children Jeff (Cathy) of Tiburon, Calif., Susan (Casey) McGrath of Bainbridge Island, and Brian (Denice) of Indianola; and grandchildren Anna, Jessie, Max, Rachael and Leah.

Arrangements are by the Stone Chapel, Poulsbo.