Thomas Lee Gustafson (aka Tommy or Gussy) 66, of Mesa, AZ formerly of Tioga, ND passed away on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at his home in Mesa, AZ, with his family by his side, after a fierce 11 month battle with pancreatic cancer.

He was born June 26, 1958, to Donald and Betty Gustafson in Williston, ND. Tom graduated from Tioga High School in 1976 and attended BSC. He married his high school sweetheart, Colleen Lawson, on August 18, 1979, in Tioga, ND. They made their home in Tioga where they raised their two daughters, Lynze and Jordyn.

Tom spent 38 years working at the Tioga Gas Plant and retired from Hess in October of 2015. Two weeks later he started as a contractor for Anadarko in New Mexico later returning to Hess working on a project with his good friends and his youngest daughter in Seminole TX. It was obvious how much he loved his job as he told everyone all about the work he had done, saying with a smile “I loved my job and the people I worked with”.

Tom & Colleen purchased a home in Mesa, AZ, in 2018 and became “sometimers”. Sometimes they were in Tioga and sometimes they were in Mesa. Tom could never truly give up living in Tioga because he absolutely loved going back to mow his lawn (very precisely!), blow snow, and his morning post office and Napa visits.

Tom had a love for “Class B” sports and continued to follow local teams and friend’s grandchildren while living in Mesa. He was not a fan of high school band or volleyball, and while he would attend the volleyball games to support his girls he was always willing to pay his daughters money to not have to attend their band concerts. When he heard his granddaughter talking about joining band he said “oh no”. He spent many hours out in the driveway shooting hoops with his girls. One of his favorite things in the world was watching his granddaughter play basketball. He loved golf, bowling, basketball, football, NASCAR & cribbage. Many Sundays were spent watching NASCAR and all the left turns. He enjoyed his long 18 hour drives to and from Houston with his youngest daughter.

After retirement he found a new way to keep his hands busy doing Legos. He’d spend hours working on large sets that he knew his daughters and granddaughter would love. Tom, Lynze, Jordyn & Hancee recently completed the 9,900 piece replica of “The Titanic”.

Tom loved watches, always had a trick up his sleeve and loved his driveway visits with Gary Spooner in Tioga and his garage visits with Mark Stuhlmiller in Mesa. He enjoyed spending time with “his people” with his favorite times being when they were all together.

Tom is survived by his wife, Colleen; daughters, Lynze Lea (Jeff) Feller, Jordyn Makell Gustafson (Evan Oughton); granddaughter, Hancee Jae Feller; mother-in-law, Phyllis Lawson; brother-in-law, Doug Lawson; nephews, David (Rachael) Lawson, Daniel (Michelle) Lawson, Christoper Lawson, Eric Lawson, Alex (Faith) Lawson, Reed Miller; great nieces, Keely Lawson, Zoey Lawson; many aunts, uncles and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his granddaughter, Gabrielle Rose Feller; father-in-law, Hance (Jim) Lawson; parents; sister, Tonya Miller; nephew, Cole Miller; grandparents, Kenneth and Verine Jorgenson, Orvel and Barbara Gustafson.