Wells Malcom Gustafson

Gustafson, Wells Malcom was a true Yankee Doodle Dandy, born on the 4th of July in 1928. He passed away peacefully on August 22 at the home he built and loved, surrounded by family and friends. Predeceased by his wife of 60 years, Pauline "Nel," he is survived by their three sons, Pier, Todd (Audrey Jellison) and Troy (Sue), and two grandchildren, Sam and Sydne. Wells attended Minneapolis Central and studied at Pratt Institute and Gustavus Adolphus College, where he met his future wife. He served in Korea, as Master Sergeant in Army Intelligence and also using his artistic skills to create popular "pin-up girl" images for the officers and men. Later, he and Nel worked in and eventually ran the Anthonie's clothing store, named for his mother. In his hands, the store became a "happening" -- a creative, living collage of props and theatrical vignettes as much as it was a retail business. His frequent buying trips to New York, Paris and Milan brought international fashion to the Twin Cities, and he delighted in creating the hand-drawn ads that became a signature of the Anthonie's stores, which grew to locations in Bloomington, Nisswa and Stillwater. Ralph Lauren can count Wells as one of his first retail customers (although Ralph's fashion line was then limited to neckties, Wells had a feeling about this guy). He was an artist above all, with a constant and prolific spirit. He attended many Broadway musicals and involved himself in the Bloomington theater with set painting and sketching actors during rehearsals. Throughout his life, he created: painting, sculpture, collage, ceramics and, most recently, necklaces, which were sold at the Walker Gallery and Minneapolis Institute of Arts gift shops. A "nature boy" at heart, Wells loved walking through his wooded yard with a clipper in one hand (to improve on Mother Nature just a bit) and a good G&T in the other. Strong winds and thunderstorms were "his kind of day." Memorial donations may be made to the University of Minnesota's Schulze Diabetes Institute. Visitation: 4-7 p.m., Wed., Aug. 28, at Washburn-McReavy Bloomington Chapel, 2300 West Old Shakopee Road. Funeral Service: 1:30 p.m., Thurs., Aug. 29, at Lakewood Cemetery Chapel, 3600 Hennepin Ave. S.

Tributes

Wells Malcom Gustafson

July 4, 1928 - August 22, 2019

Tributes

Wells Malcom Gustafson

July 4, 1928 - August 22, 2019

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