BARBARA (BIRDSEY) GUSTAFSON
1931-2021
Barbara Ann Birdsey Gustafson died peacefully on October 27, 2021, at her recent home in Pompton Plains, New Jersey. She was 90 years old.
Mrs. Gustafson (nee Birdsey) was born in Middletown, Connecticut on June 1, 1931, to George and Ann Birdsey. Barbara was predeceased by her husband Alvan “Gus” Knute Gustafson and her sister, Bette Klacsmann, of Ponte Vedra, Florida. Her brother, Donald Birdsey, of Middletown, Connecticut, died 5 days after Barbara passed.
Barbara grew up in Middletown, where her father was a prominent businessman, owning several ventures. The Depression prompted the family to move to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, while Barbara was in college. She was a self-described “swamp Yankee.” This refers not to where she grew up, but to someone who had lost much, who’d been “swamped.”
After graduating from high school in Middletown, Barbara went to Simmons College, Boston graduating in 1953. There she received her nickname Byrd. Her first job was with The Ford Foundation in New York City. But her sense of style and love of design brought her to Bloomindales as a Buyer in Women’s Suits.
Barbara was introduced to her dear husband of 67 years, Alvan “Gus” Gustafson, by mutual friends. After marrying they moved to Cranford, New Jersey. Barbara and Gus returned yearly to their New England roots vacationing in Cape Cod, New Jersey and Long Island meeting up with friends and family, golfing, antiquing, and devouring lobsters and fried clams.
Barbara is survived by her two children, Karl Gustafson, and his mate Drew Cockrell, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Ann Sorice, and her husband John (Sid) Sorice, of Pelham, New York, and her three grandsons Nick, Max, and Lang. Barbara was known to her grandchildren as “Mim”.
Barbara had an interesting life travelling the world with Gus. From New Jersey the Gustafson family moved to: Puerto Rico; London, England; Monrovia, Liberia; Cranford, New Jersey; Houston, Texas; London again; Houston again. Barbara was an intrepid traveler. With each move Barbara created a warm and welcoming home for family and friends. With all of Gus’ work travel, Barbara was often also left to raise their children. This was before cell phones and email -- a weekly 10-minute call was all there was. Barbara juggled it all effortlessly, keeping calm and carrying on.
In New Jersey and Houston, Barbara was an active member of the Junior League. She golfed at Echo Lake Country Club, and then at Lakeside Country Club and was active at Christ Church Cathedral and St. Francis Episcopal. Barbara was a docent at Bayou Bend, sharing her love of antiques; she earned her real estate license in Houston selling Real Estate. Barbara was a huge opera fan.
Barbara loved a good party. Upon moving to Houston Barbara and Gus hosted an annual Christmas Eve party which is still carried on to this day. Every year Barbara donned her apron, preparing all the food from scratch for their expat Northern friends and new Southern friends serving Mim’s famous Swedish Meatballs and the Gustafson favorite smoked salmon. Barbara was Martha Stewart before Martha showing her children how to blow eggs for painted Easter eggs, rub gravestones in the early evening, paint rocks in Cape Cod, collect local flora and fauna for the dining room centerpiece, and create papier-mâché Christmas angels. She drove the getaway car for Ann’s friends when “toilet papering” houses and drove an MG up to Karl in New Haven from Houston. In Liberia she sewed her dresses from Liberian printed fabric and created curtains and bedspreads.
Barbara moved back to New Jersey a few years after Gus died in 2009. Barbara always brought fun to whatever she was doing. One of her favorite things to do was to dress in an odd combination of clothes from her world travels and tell people their fortunes. Barbara flew from her body on the tail end of a Nor’easter rain & windstorm. The Horoscope for October 27, 2021, read: Time to Move Forward.
Barbara led a life of service to others, not often able to think of her own needs. She is now free. Her light will continue to shine on when we eat lobster, swim in the ocean or set the Thanksgiving table.
A celebration of her life will be held in the spring of 2022. More information to come. In lieu of customary remembrances memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or charity of one’s choice.