Justin Sustan Jr.

Justin “Bud” F. Sustan Jr., age 87, formerly of Hastings, Michigan, passed away on Friday, March 20, 2026.

He is survived by his children, Laurie (James) Gustafson, Pamela (Steven, deceased) Miller, and Thomas Sustan; his grandchildren, Brett and Sara Gustafson, Steven Andrew Miller, and Abby (Luke) Overweg; and his great-grandchild, Malcolm Miller. He is also survived by his beloved companion, his labradoodle, Milly.

Justin was preceded in death by his parents, Justin F. Sustan Sr. and Beatrice (Gerstel), as well as his wife of 56 years, Lois (Nelson).

Justin began his career as a Tool and Dye Maker before going on to work for General Motors, where he built diesel engines and served as an Assistant Plant Superintendent of the Electro Motive Division in LaGrange, IL. Even after retirement, he continued to travel internationally, sharing his expertise and consulting others in the industry.

He lived life with a spirit of adventure, enjoying activities such as competitive softball, scuba diving, ziplining, hang gliding, traveling, and taking cruises. He was an avid fisherman, with a special love for Lake of the Woods in Canada, a passion he proudly passed on to his children. Justin was also a skilled woodworker and craftsman who designed and oversaw the building of his dream home on 40-acres in Hastings, Michigan (Sustan’s Sunswept Acres) in 1995. In his free time, he enjoyed golfing and gardening. In his youth, Bud enjoyed working on and building cars and competed in (and won) numerous events at Raceway Park in the Chicagoland area.

A memorial service is tentatively being planned for early June in Hastings, Michigan.

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