It was a special, but bittersweet Wethersfield High School homecoming Friday night.
Members of the 1984 football team returned to remember one of the best records in school history and honor the memory of two teammates who died this year, Mark Sawickis and Kurt Gustafson.
Three generations of the Gustafson family were on hand to dedicate a plaque placed at the base of a flagpole Kurt donated that was installed several years ago as part of a Capital Campaign to raise funds for improvements to the athletic field.
Eleven members of the 1984 football team were recognized during halftime ceremonies of the Annawan-Wethersfield vs. Bureau Valley football game including Wayne Baldwin, Andy Bullock, Ryan Ericson, Shannon Hill, Kevin Kutchma, Lito Lopez, Tim Nimrick, Chris Palmer, Chris Pence and Larry Schmidt. Ty Lindbeck could not attend due to a previous commitment.
The 1984 team was state-ranked in 1A all year, was Lincoln Trail champions for the third year, finished 9-2 on the year, made the 2A playoffs in the six-class era and lost in the quarterfinals to eventual state champion Amboy.
Their head coach was Lou Vitali.
Kurt became a successful local businessman, owning and operating Gustafson working for many years with his father, Keith “Buck” Gustafson in the dealership Buck founded. During the ceremony it was pointed out that Kurt and Gustafson Ford have been very generous over the years in all aspects of Wethersfield Schools and Annawan-Wethersfield athletics.
Kurt, along with former ’84 teammates Tim Nimrick and Larry Schmidt, was a member of the chain gang at home football games for over 10 years.
It was during those long nights moving the yard markers up and down the field that Kurt would look up at the flagpole at the west end of the visitor’s sideline and think it should be replaced, according to his wife, Carrie.
After Kurt died suddenly on July 4, the family thought it would be appropriate to dedicate the flagpole he donated not only in his memory, but also to his parents, “Buck” and Georgia, who passed away in 2003 and 2014, respectively, and sister Cindy, who graduated from WHS in 1976, who died in 2008.
All five of Mr. and Mrs. Gustafson’s children — Keith, Jr., Cindy, Kurt, Lisa (Rashid) and Holly (Hicks) graduated from Wethersfield High School.
The halftime program also included introduction of the 2026 homecoming king and queen, Cash Verstraete and Tinsley Newman and the court, as well as a performance by the A-W Titans marching band in their new uniforms, the first the band has worn in several years.
