WILTON — The Incredible Seniors Bowling League recently remembered one of their own by wearing her T-shirts on the last day of bowling before summer break.
Loraine Gustafson, 84, of Chesterville was known by everyone at Meadow Lanes as the “Candy Lady,” but she was also remembered for wearing some whimsical T-shirts. They were often humorous and sometimes political, Cliff Harris of Leeds, president of the league, said. One bore the message: “To be old and wise, you must first have to be young and stupid.” He wore it as part of the league’s tribute.
Gustafson, a devout New England Patriots fan, fell asleep in her chair on Feb. 1 never to wake again. It was the day her beloved team played in the Super Bowl, Mary DeCristofaro of Weld, league secretary, said.
She even had a Patriot tattoo on her leg, she said.
Gustafson and her husband retired to Chesterville from Massachusetts after her career as a nurse, according to her obituary.
She was a fan of all New England teams, including the Patriots and the Red Sox, Harris said.
“I’m just glad she doesn’t know what is happening now,” he said of Deflategate. “She would be some upset.”
Gustafson bowled in the league until a torn muscle caused her to sit on the sidelines, DeCristofaro said.
Gustafson kept coming every Thursday and brought a good amount of candy for everyone, Harris said. She kept it up for two to three years.
She would also show up wearing T-shirts under a denim shirt. She’d open the denim shirt to flash her latest message.
After she passed away, her daughter came to the bowling alley with a large can of candy and a box full of T-shirts, about 50 in all, to give to the league, Harris said.
A few shirts were put into the league’s weekly raffle for a few weeks, he said. As the end of the season approached, Harris asked those who had received one to wear it for the last day. About two-thirds of the league did, he said.
Several members interrupted their bowling for a photo of them wearing the shirts. One read: “Live each day like it’s your last — one day you’ll get it right.” Another read: “When you really want to slap someone, do it and say ‘mosquito.'”
“She was a special person,” Harris said. “The league members are a great group of people.”
Four of those members are over 90 but continue to bowl and bowl well, he said. The league is for those age 55 and older.
While there are 70 members in the league, which bowls every Thursday from September to May, there were a few empty spots on individual teams this year, he said.
He said he would like to see more seniors come out and give the league a try.
abryant@sunmediagroup.net
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