GUSSMAN, Richard Anthony (Gus)

Richard Anthony "Gus" Gussman, 76, of Cottonwood AZ, and formerly of Flagstaff died on Thursday, March 22nd, 2001, at the Verde Valley Medical Center in Cottonwood. Mr. Gussman was born October 7, 1924 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Bonnie Rutherford and Edmaude Gussman. The family moved to Los Angeles, CA in 1929 where his father was a newspaper man, and his mother a restaurateur. Richard and his mother moved to Cottonwood in 1938. His mother and her twin sister opened the Twin's Cafe in Cottonwood. After graduating from Clarkdale High School, he joined the United States Army in 1943 and he was stationed at Fort Mc Arthur in California until 1946. After World War II, he moved to Flagstaff, where he worked for the Saginaw Lumber Company until 1950. Richard began his adventure in auto sales with Ernie Burris in 1946. On June 10, 1950 Mary Elizabeth George of Clarkdale became his bride. During the summer of 1951, Gus became the used car manager at Babbitt Ford in Flagstaff under the tutelage of Ed Babbitt and Walter Bennett. During his years at Babbitt Ford, Gus had the distinction of being recognized as one of the top ten salespeople nationwide for Ford Motor Corporation. Most of the time he was in the top three. Many of his sales awards were presented by Lee Iocca who was then an executive with Ford. Gus also had the fun of playing Santa Claus each year while he was at Babbitts. This was a role that he looked forward to each year. In 1972, Gus left Babbitt Ford to open his own dealership, Auto Unlimited By Gus. He retired in 1996 at the age of 72. In 1996 Gus was the oldest continuously employed auto salesman in the nation. He had numerous articles written about him in the Ford Times Magazine, the Arizona Republic and the Arizona Daily Sun. Gus was the Friend of First Time Teenage Buyers, various sports teams and a member of fishing clubs. He was a member of the Arizona Bass Club, a professional bass fishing organization based in Phoenix. Year after year, he was continually amongst the top-ten bass fishermen in the state. Gus was especially proud of his long affiliation with the B. P. O. E. Post # 499 in Flagstaff. For the past several years, Gus has been perfecting his golf game at the Pine Shadows Golf Course between Cottonwood and Clarkdale. The Pine Shadows Golf Club has honored him by naming their yearly tournament as the Dick Gussman Memorial Tournament with a revolving trophy. His most repeated statement to family and friend was "do what you love now, tomorrow maybe too late or never come." He was known to his family as a truly non-materialistic person, and a free spirit. In a recent remark to his wife he said "When I meet Saint Peter at the golden gates, I'm going to ask him if they have a golf course and a fishing hole? If they don't, I'll tell him that I might have to keep looking." Gus lived, loved and enjoyed his life to the fullest everyday. He is survived by his wife of 50 years: Mary George Gussman; and a son; Gregory Lee Gussman of Flagstaff. A graveside service was held on Wednesday, March 28th, 2001, at the Valley View Cemetery in Clarkdale, AZ. Pastor Phil Willis-Conger officiated, the VFW Post #7400 and the Jerome Lodge of Elks #1361 extending honors. Westcott Funeral Home made arrangements. Memorial donations may be sent in Gus's memory to the American Heart Association 1280 S. Parker Road Denver, Colorado 80231-2100. The Arizona Republic March 28, 2001