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updated:
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Who Was Leah Gustafson?
Leah was a twenty-nine year old woman who lived in Superior, Wisconsin (born and raised), had attended college in Eau Claire at the UW-Eau Claire graduating with a bachelors of History. Leah worked at Cellular One in Duluth for three years once returning to Superior, Wisconsin to live.
Leah had beautiful long, healthy brown hair and a beautiful trademark smile. She also had this laugh that carried across a room!
She was a wonderful friend.
Leah was very smart, she was carring, she was helpful, she was honest, she was hard working, and she was absolutely hilarious. She had many friends because she was the type of person you just wanted to be around. She had many close and dear friends, and she would often generously give money, support, and comfort to her friends.
Leah enjoyed history, playing the violin, acting (she was in plays as a child), karokee, reading, spending time with family/friends, and she loved to listen to music (Tori Amos was one of her favorites).
MELINDA'S MEMORIES OF LEAH
I remember many of nights staying up
talking to Leah until the sun came up and laughing
hysterically realizing we had talked that many hours and
not realizing how much time had passed. I remember
getting all comfy on my couch as we sat and had what she
would call a "Buffy" or
"Angel-a-thon". T.V. shows she vowed to get me
hooked on and I told her, "Never. I hate
shows!" She just laughed and said, "Watch me I
will get ya hooked hehe". And behold if she didn't
succeed she had me so hooked we would watch them until we
both knew we should be in bed then look at each other and
go.......one more??? Um well um SURE then we would both
laugh!
Leah could take hours to explain. She was such a
beautiful person inside and out and so full of life it
rubbed off on you. She was so charismatic. She had a way
of lighting up the room when she entered! Every time she
would walk through the door she would put down whatever
was in her hands and give me a huge trademark hug. She
had an uncanny way of just lighting up any room she
entered with her bubbly spirit. When she walked in after
our big hugs she would always say in her best lil girl
voice, "You love me don't you?"
I would say, "Of course ok now what do ya
want?" Then we both would laugh real hard and she
would say, "I'm hungry feed me, feed me!" Or
she'd say, "I am your favorite sis right?" I
always dreaded this one it was usually her asking will
you please do my laundry for me, and of course give me
her pouty lip so I couldn't even try to say no.
If I had to say what I miss most about
Leah I am not even sure where to begin. Her presence, her
smile, and her laugh. Perhaps the way I knew I could
trust her with all my heart and soul so thoroughly and
completely, there was nothing about my life no matter how
intimate I couldn't trust her with. I also knew without a
doubt in my mind she loved me unconditionally as I did
her.
And oh God I miss her hugs! What I wouldn't do for just
one more hug! Boy if she was mad at me she sure let me
know it. One of her famous oh my god she is really,
really mad at me sayings was, "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
GIRL!" Oh how I dreaded that one. One of her famous
ways of introducing me to people was to put her arm
around me and say, "This is Big sis Melinda!"
And she'd always tell people I was her protector which
right now gives me a painful jab in the heart because I
feel I have failed her in some way.
On New Years Eve she came over and begged and pleaded for
me to braid her hair. I finally agreed and after about 4
or 5 attempts to braid her hair (it was SO thick), we
finally got it just right. As I was finishing I grabbed
the braid and teased her saying aw I should just grab
some scissors and cut it off. She replied, "Don't
you DARE!" She said in an old womans voice that when
we grew old and were in the nursing home she was gonna
chase me in her wheelchair, screaming, "Melinda
braid my hair. Melllllindaaaaaa braid my hair!" We
both roared with laughter.
She kept begging me to go out and I kept telling her no I
really don't want to. well I ended up changing my mind
and took me forever to find her! And I am so dearly glad
I changed my mind we had a TON of fun. Leah, myself, and
a couple of her friends all had our arms interlinked and
were kicking our feet out in the air and we were laughing
so hard. Leah decided to stand on the speaker and jump
down into her friends arms it was so cute her expression,
and it warms me to know she had enjoyed herself so much.
I remember spending time at each others house when we
were younger and one time we were playing hide and seek,
and she was running and fell . I got yelled at because
Sharon (her mom) thought I tripped her, and it took us a
bit to calm her down and get her to realize it was an
accident. She had tripped over something on the floor. Oh
man so many wonderful memories I wish I could just list
them all. I remember when I was in labor with my son, and
they had mentioned a c-section and I was like I don't
think so! Well after 36 1/2 hours I kinda yelled real
loud I want a c-section and I want it NOW! She teased me
about that at any and every chance she could! Boy how she
LOVED to tease me and when I asked her why she said
because I always get the best reactions and rises out of
you its so fun!
I remember one day standing in my dining room, I was
moping about my weight to her. She gave me a big hug and
said, Aww just more of you to love and besides your my
favorite sister!" My heart kinda melted and I said,
"Awe that's sweet." Then she got this
mischievous look on her face and said, "But then you
are my only sister!" And she laughed. I snapped a
picture of that one. One time I had my camera out and she
said DON'T you dare and scowled at me just as I snapped
her picture - it was just too funny!
Leah was one of the most generous kind-hearted people I
knew. She was forever helping people out whether it be
with food or money, or giving people a ride somewhere.
She always helped out if she could! One of the other
things she often teased me about is my son Steven. She
would always say, "They made a mistake, he's not
your son... he's mine! He is too much like me to be
yours!" I would laugh and say, "Yeah I think
you're right!"
LEAH I LOVE YOU AND WILL MISS YOU ALWAYS!
Love your sister, Melinda
MARY'S MEMORIES OF LEAH
Writing and maintaining this website, in a
way, has been a thorn in my side since I began less then
a month after Leah's murder. Out of all the Leah's Law
members, my time with Leah was the most brief.
I worked with Leah at Cellular One for two years, and
would occasionally meet up with her at a local bar and
have a chance to chat about non-work related topics. Leah
was always very kind to me, as I'm sure many of you may
have already known. She was just a kind person. She was
also one of the best people to go to when you had a
problem, needed to be cheered up, or just wanted to talk.
She was inviting and warm. She was funny and cynical. She
was so many things to so many different people.
To me, Leah represented what I wanted to be. When I met
her I was a newly single mother trying to raise my then
three year old son by myself. Leah and I would often
talk, when we did get the chance, about our families.
Leah's cousin was a childhood friend of my older sisters,
and as it turns out Leah lived a few blocks from my
childhood home. She loved her family.
We also had the same sense of twisted humor that seemed
to shock some people, but mostly it was just for show.
She and I would laugh at some of the most randomly
strangest things.
I remember one day at work Leah and I were on break and
she had mentioned she wanted to join a committee at work.
I was in the committee already and talked it up for all
it's worth. She wanted to know how she could become a
member of this committee. She asked me how, and I drew a
blank. I couldn't remember HOW I had joined. I felt so
embarrassed to tell her this so I told her I'd have to
check with the leader of the committee and let her know
the 'requirements'. She laughed and said, "You have
no idea how you became a member do you?" I just
nodded. She seemed to get a kick out of that.
I miss Leah as a coworker and as my friend. She was
honest, helpful toward others, and she had a great
personality. Now when I go into the break room I still
half-expect to see her sitting in her violet sweater,
reading her newest Stephen King novel, and actually being
quiet as people staged a royal rumpus all around her.
Never looking up from the book. Then I must remind myself
that Leah's no longer physically with us, and my heart
drops. She won't be in the break room today.
I began the website out of anger, over a murder that I
felt was so unjust to Leah. Barbaric. Horrifying.
Devastating. And now I realize that this website is also
a make-shift memorial for Leah and who she was. What she
meant to others.
I miss her. I truly do. I wish I could take back last
year, rewind it, and pause it. Just to hear her laugh.
Just to see her billion-watt smile. I can't. I cannot
undo any of this. It is just what it is.
Leah reminds me of myself and I think as I go on with my
life, I live a little bit each day just for her. A joyful
ride in the country on a beautiful fall day. A rainy
grumbly day with cold wind blowing on my face as I walk
down the sidewalk. The hug from my son as I tuck him in
at night. Watching a comedy with friends. Dancing out at
a club. Gasping for breath because I have just laughed so
hard at a joke. I take each experience with Leah in my
heart and I think, "You're still here doing this
with me."
My soul knows she's at peace however she's still not with
us, and that's where I have a struggle between my heart
and my soul. I must remind myself that I might not know
all the answers but I should stop being selfish. I only
miss her because I want her here with me. I only cry for
her because I want her here with me. That is selfish, so
what. I'm selfish. We want her back. I want her back.
Your coworker in crime,
Mary
FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND
Lord, You
said that once I decided to follow you,
we would walk side by side through life.
But when I needed you most, I see only one set
of footprints in the sand. The Lord replied, “I love
you
and I would never leave you. During your times of trial
and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints,
it was then that I carried you.”