Rita Joan Gustie's Obituary
Rita Gustie Obituary
RITA J. GUSTIE, 86, of Mililani, Hawaii passed away at Tripler Army Medical Center on February 10, 2019. She retired in 2014 after forty years of teaching drawing and painting to children and adults at the Arts and Crafts Center at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
Born and raised in Cleveland, OH, she majored in art at East High School. There she received honors for her work in jewelry design and sculpture.
In 1952, she married her high school sweetheart, Ronald A. Gustie, an Air Force Officer. Their first tour of duty took them to France where they began their family. This was also the start of their incredible journey around the world.
After they arrived in Hawaii in 1969, Rita began oil painting, watercolor and collage. She won many prestigious awards for her creations which have been on exhibit throughout the United States.
Rita always stayed busy by taking care of her family and pursuing her passion for art. She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, chauffeur, nurse, shoulder to lean on, scout troop leader, sports team mother, and a glee club chaperone. She held the office of Vice President for the Association of Hawaii Artists, was a member of the Honolulu Academy of Arts, an honorary life member of the Hawaii Watercolor Society and in the National League of American Pen Women.
Becoming a fine artist required creativity, tenacity, patience and discipline. These values along with the importance of integrity, honesty and humility became the foundation in which she raised her children.
She made friends where ever she went and treated everyone like family. She may have been small in stature, but she was fearless, determined, proud, independent, and forward-thinking. Rita was very much large and in charge. She will truly be missed.
She is survived by sons Thomas and Timothy; daughters Lorraine and Nicole; sister Evelyn Carrier of San Jose, CA; brother-in-law Gerald Gustie (Linda) of Cleveland, OH; granddaughter Jennifer, grandson EB Fernandez, great-granddaughter Mia Fernandez and her beloved beagles, Hershey and Cocoa.
Services will be held on Friday, May 10, 2019 at Mililani Memorial Park & Mortuary, Waipio Mauka Chapel. Visitation begins at 5:30 p.m. with services to follow. Private committal services will take place at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl.
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