Gustav Frederick Wennerstrom

There are very few people who I can say I have known my entire life. Gus Wennerstrom is one of those few people. A wonderful sportsman (remember how he hooked his index finger over the end of the horseshoe?), musician (my grandmother Edna Burr played organ when he directed the choir) and chessplayer (still sharp at 97). To me, the great couples of history-Jack and Jackie, Gable and Lombard, Tracy and Hepburn, Burns and Allen- do not hold a candle to Gus and Esther! Their memories will last...

My sincere sympathy to all the family. I have only fond memories of "Uncle Gus". I so loved his music, his voice, and the smell of the cigar.

Gus was a soccer player during the 20s and 30s. From all I've heard, he was a pretty darn good one too. They used a 5-3-2 formation back then, with five forwards. Gus played inside-left.

As an addendum to my entry, I'd like to post one of my favorite Gus Wennerstrom stories. He told this to me in 1971, when I played soccer at Chagrin Falls High School:

One afternoon Gus' team played a road match against their arch rivals before a hostile crowd. It was a dirty...

Some of my fondest childhood memories are the many days and nights I spent at Uncle Gus and Aunty Esther's house. They were our neighbors and I was lucky enough to have them as my Godparents. I couldn't have asked for any better. My memories start with Gus giving me a horsie ride on his leg when I was very young and continue on until my last visit, two years ago when my sister and I listened to the beautiful sound of his piano playing which was to a fault-and at the age of 95. What a great...

Gus and Esther were two of the best friends our family ever had. They were always around when my siblings and I were growing up. I must have been 8 or 9 when "Aunt" Esther explained that she and "Uncle" Gus weren't technically family, even thought it always felt like they were. And it still does. He was an angelic man, and it was a lasting pleasure to know him.

The Coryell family never had better friends than "Uncle" Gus and "Aunt" Esther. We miss them and will remember them fondly.

As a child, Esther and Gus were my neighbors. One could never ask for a more loving and happy couple. Gus was my favorite person in the world. As a shy person, (so the story goes)he was the only adult I would go to.
I remember the wonderful smells from Esthers baking and the beautiful music of Gus' piano playing, which made their home, the home I wanted to be at.
I am so lucky to have been back in Ohio a few years ago and my sisters & I stopped to say hello. Gus sat down &...

I was saddened to hear of the death of such a wonderful man. He lived a very long life and was a great friend to so many. My childhood memories of him will remain with me for the rest of my life. My sisters and I grew up in Auburn and Gus and Esther were our neighbors and good friends of our parents. I am so glad my sister Marylou and I visited with him a couple of years ago and taped him playing the organ and talking about his life. He will be truly missed.

We have many good memories of Gus, the years we sang in the choir at Auburn Church, and the fun we had with him and with Esther at their home. Wish we could be there to celebrate his life at the Memorial Service, but we are doing that in our own way as we reminisce those happy times.

Sterling and Jean