Harvadene M. Gustus

Harvadene Marion Gustus, daughter of the late Howard Williams and Mary Susie Ross (Bumbry), was born on August 24, 1944 and was granted her angel wings on Saturday, September 03, 2016. Harvadene, a.k.a. Deanie, was the eldest of two children and big sister to Shirley Jackson. She graduated from Forest Park High School in 1962 and went on to acquire a degree in Early Childhood Education from Morgan State University in 1966. Deanie put herself through college by working at the A&P Grocery store and after graduation, she taught 3rd grade students for one year then realized that she would rather work at Rosewood Hospital (a State Mental Institution) than be "locked in a room with all of those kids all day." In 1967, Deanie married her high school sweetheart Roy Edwards and they had a daughter Camille Suzanne. They later divorced and Deanie would subsequently meet her second husband Rudolph Gustus in a doctor's office. Deanie and Rudy tied the knot in 1970 and their union produced Angela Ivy. Now with two young girls to raise, she retired from Rosewood and focused on raising her girls and supporting Rudy by investing in G&M Oil. During the remainder of the 70's and 80's. Deanie and Rudy became the king and queen of the ball. G&M Oil became one of the highest grossing black owned oil companies in the country. Deanie was a board member and shareholder of Harbor Bank of Maryland. She participated in supporting political campaigns as well as fundraising for many programs throughout the city and on the east coast such as The House of Ruth and the American Red Cross. In 1994, Deanie and Rudy decided to go their separate ways and eventually divorced. Deanie returned to the work force in August of that year and became a social worker for the Baltimore City Housing and Urban Development. She loved the seniors that she worked with at the Rosemont Senior Towers and particularly enjoyed leading the weekly current events group. Harvadene is survived by her sister Shirley Jackson, former husband husband Leroy Edwards, daughters Camille Gustus and Angela Gustus, Cathy Mays, grandson James Gustus-Dunson, step grandsons Cristiano and Fernando Quijano, nephew Charles Jackson, niece Tanya Creek as well as a host of cousins, great nieces and nehews and many friends.

Tributes

Harvadene M. Gustus

August 24, 1944 - September 3, 2016