Page Text: The four Gustins in 2000, 2010, 2014 and 2018.
This year marks 20 years in Brown County, Indiana, and many
changes have taken place in our family in those two decades.
Erin graduated cum laude from USI with a bachelor's degree in psychology in 2001
and completed her masters in 2004 and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology
at Spalding University (Louisville) in 2008.
She worked as a mental health professional at Hazelden Clinic in Chaska, Minn. until 2014.
A job as a therapist at Pacific Quest took her from the cold winters to the perpetual summer on the Big Island of Hawaii.
In four years on the Big Island, she has survived hurricanes, earthquakes and lava flows that came within a mile of her home.
Now in private practice, she owns Pau Hana Counseling in Hilo, continues to help people and cats, and loves living in Hawaii.
Erin at Minnehaha Falls, 2012 photo by Rachel Miske
Andrew in 2012
Andrew, 2006
Andrew graduated from Brown County High School in 2002 where he was one of
the top students in his class. He graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington with a major in geology
and earned his master's degree while working at the Indiana Geological Survey as an environmental research geologist.
He lives in St. Paul, Minn., where he is a geologist, cartographer, intrepid hiker and outdoorsman. He and his partner Rebecca live with their two cats.
After nine years as managing editor, in 2008 Bob was named editor of The Republic newspaper in Columbus, Ind., where he worked with a staff of editors, reporters and photographers
and wrote a column each Sunday. He retired on May 6, 2011, one day after his 60th birthday, and now spends his time on gardening, home improvement projects
and helping Chris with the weaving studio. He is a loom builder and repairman and gives the best tours to studio visitors.
He is past president of the Brown County Literacy Coalition and serves as secretary of the Brown County Library board of directors.
He spends his spare time woodworking in the pole barn and sequestering himself in the basement, where he organizes and adds to his numerous collections.
Chris spends time building her Internet business, realizing that some of her customers do not want to travel to the wilds of Brown County, Indiana . Weekly, she ships packages to customers around the county, and occasionally to far-off lands. She's become well-acquainted with the UPS man, the mail carrier, and people at the post office.
Her work is available at stores across the U.S., at Spears Gallery in downtown Nashville, IN, By Hand Gallery in Bloomington, IN, and Indiana Artisan Shop at French Lick
In 2008, Chris was juried into the Indiana Artisan program, a state-wide program to establish a brand that gives meaning and recognition to high quality, Indiana-made goods.
Her handwoven rugs are wholesaled to shops around the US.
Chris' business is located in a 1,500 sq. foot weaving studio near the house, constructed mainly of native Indiana poplar.
Yarn and fibers are constantly being organized, but Homestead Weaving Studio
also houses looms, spinning wheels, tons of yarn and spinning fibers
along with books and weaving equipment. With the addition of the "loom
room" in 2007, there is a wonderful classroom space and day
lessons and weaving and spinning instruction are being offered.
Family History
Bob and Chris were married one unseasonably warm and sunny day Dec. 1, 1973, in Colorado Springs, Colo. Chris (Diener) grew up in Lansing, Mich., attended Everett High School and graduated from Central Michigan University with a degree in journalism. After trying life in New York City and East Berlin, Penna., she traveled to Boulder, Colo., to teach weaving at a small shop there. Bob grew up in Colorado Springs and met Chris while attending the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he also obtained a journalism degree.
Both worked at the Colorado Springs Sun, he as a copy desk editor, she as chief photographer until moving in 1974 to Scottsbluff, Neb., where he was a reporter and later news editor at the Star-Herald. Chris worked as a copy editor at the newspaper before resigning to begin Homestead Gallery, an arts and crafts supply store in downtown Scottsbluff.
Erin was born April 4, 1979, at Scottsbluff, and spent her early days as a shop rat.
The Gustins moved to Evansville, Ind., in 1982. Bob took a job at The Evansville Courier before moving to The Evansville Press in 1986, where he was managing editor until the newspaper closed on Dec. 31, 1998, the victim of an expired Joint Operating Agreement. He retired in 2011 as editor of The Republic in Columbus, Ind. Chris spent some time raising a family and getting her weaving business restarted before rejoining the journalism world with a copy desk job at The Press in the late '80s. She "retired" from the Press as lifestyles editor when the paper closed.
Andrew was born Aug. 18, 1984, in Evansville, and spent his early days honing his baseball skills with a Wiffle ball in the front yard.
Both Erin and Andrew were excellent students at Marrs Elementary School, where Erin won the sixth grade spelling bee, and Andrew placed fourth in the same contest. Both inherited their mother's singing ability, and have participated in choir and drama activities.
Andrew also excelled in baseball and soccer.
Other members of the family include cats named Amigo (Meegie), Piper Sue, and Buffy.
We'd like to hear from old or new friends, or make some cyber-acquaintances. Give us an e-mail.