By Cheryl Owens
The Meridian Star
MERIDIAN, Miss. — A local memorial service for Meridian firefighter Eric Gustafson is planned for 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Meridian.
Gustafson, 40, died Friday morning when the fire truck he was driving rolled over on Old Eighth Street Road near the Jaycee soccer complex.
A Mass of Christian burial for Gustafson will be held Wednesday at 1 p.m. at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 105 Bonnabel Blvd., Metairie, LA, according to his obituary. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the service. Interment at Lake Lawn Park Mausoleum will follow the service. E.J. Fielding Funeral Home of Covington, LA, is in charge of arrangements.
Gustafson, a native of New Orleans, is survived by his parents, Dr. Harry P. and Jan Gustafson; a daughter, Jessica Lynn Gustafson; a brother, Todd Gustafson and a sister, Lori G. Lundgren (Stephen), as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
According to his obituary, Gustafson attended Brother Martin High School, then Hancock High where he pursued football and scholastic successes. After completing high school at Saint Paul’s Catholic School, he attended Mississippi State University and The University of Southern Mississippi, then moved to Meridian to be close to his daughter. He graduated from the
Mississippi State Fire Academy in early 2014.
In his spare time, Gustafson tutored GED students, volunteered for a crisis hotline and enjoyed playing the guitar, writing and spending time outdoors with his daughter.
Two other firefighters, Jeff Stuart and David Carney, were seriously injured in the accident but were improving Saturday morning, said Doug Hutcheson, captain of B shift at Station Number 3. Stuart is recovering in a Jackson hospital and Carney is recovering at a hospital in Meridian.
“One of the guys talked to Jeff’s dad and he told us Jeff was doing better and they are hoping he will get out of ICU later today,” Hutcheson said. “We also heard that David was improving and doing much better also.”
Copyright 2016 The Meridian Star