[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 82 (Thursday, June 6, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H5976-H5977]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




MOURNING THE PASSING OF E. CHARLES GUSTAFSON, FORMER CHIEF REPORTER OF 
                                DEBATES

  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to address the 
House for 1 minute, to revise and extend my remarks, and include 
extraneous material.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). Is there objection to the 
request of the gentleman from Ohio?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, one of the great friends of the House and 
a loyal servant to the House, Charles Gustafson, the former chief 
reporter of debates for this House, passed away June 1 in Annandale, 
VA. Many of us remember Gus sitting down here at the well. He was just 
a beautiful guy. At age 74 he passed away of emphysema.
  Gus had joined the debate reporting staff in 1973, and retired in 
June 1995. At his retirement, Members will recall Gus was the last of 
the breed, the last of the pen shorthand writers to work in our well. 
Gus was born in West Parksville, NY. He graduated from high school at 
the age of 15. He then studied shorthand court reporting at Gregg 
College in Chicago, and worked as a court reporter in Cleveland.

[[Page H5977]]

  During World War II, Gus served his country and the Navy aboard the 
battleship New Jersey, where he performed reporter services for court-
martial activities. After the war Gus returned to Cleveland as a court 
reporter. Before moving to Washington and joining the staff here, he 
was a court reporter at the Mahoning County Court in Youngstown, OH, my 
hometown. Then Gus operated a freelance reporting office of his own in 
Youngstown, OH.
  Survivors include his beautiful wife, Betsy, of Annandale, whom he 
married in 1946, and his two sons, Charles B. Gustafson of Annandale 
and Richard G. Gustafson of Seattle, and two grandchildren. For those 
Members interested, the calling hours are this evening from 7 to 8:30 
p.m. at the Demaine Springfield-Annandale Chapel, and funeral services 
are set for tomorrow. If there are any Members wishing to attend, they 
can give the office of Official Reporters a call at 225-0331 for such 
arrangements. ``Gus'' Gustafson was just a great friend of all of ours, 
and we send our deepest sympathies to his family.
  Mr. Speaker, I include for the Record a copy of the obituary for 
``Gus'' Gustafson printed in the Washington Post on Wednesday, June 5, 
1996.
  The material referred to is as follows:

                [From the Washington Post, June 5, 1996]

                 E. Charles ``Gus'' Gustafson, Reporter

       E. Charles ``Gus'' Gustafson, 74, former chief reporter of 
     debates at the U.S. House of Representatives, died June 1 at 
     Sleepy Hollow Manor Nursing and Convalescent Home in 
     Annandale. He had emphysema.
       Mr. Gustafson joined the debate reporting staff of the 
     House in 1973 and retired last June. At his retirement, he 
     was the last of the pen shorthand writers to work in the 
     House.
       A resident of Annandale, he was born in West Clarksville, 
     N.Y., where he graduated from high school at age 15. He 
     studied shorthand court reporting at Gregg College in Chicago 
     and worked as a court reporter in Cleveland.
       During World War II, he served in the Navy aboard the 
     battleship New Jersey, where he was a reporter for courts-
     martial.
       After the war, he returned to Cleveland as a court 
     reporter. Before moving to the Washington area and joining 
     the House reporting staff, he was a court reporter at 
     Mahoning County Court in Youngstown, Ohio, and then operated 
     a freelance reporting office in Youngstown.
       Survivors include his wife, Betsy, of Annandale, whom he 
     married in 1946; two sons, Charles B. Gustafson of Annandale 
     and Richard G. Gustafson of Seattle; and two grandchildren.

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