Memorial
Gail Johanna (Gustafson) Tvedt, 91, of Iowa City, Iowa, passed away at The Views of Marion senior residential facility on Monday, September 22, 2025, surrounded by her family.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 am, Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 1790 14th Street, Marion, Iowa, with Father Neil Manternach officiating. Visitation will be at 9:30 am in the Church prior to the service. For those unable to attend, the service will be live streamed through St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at: https://youtube.com/live/-aJF7rLxkaA?feature=share. Burial will immediately follow at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, 1122 N. Dodge Street, Iowa City.
Gail was born to Ernest C. and Bessie Amelia (LaCharity) Gustafson on April 3, 1934 in Ashland, Wisconsin. She grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, graduating from Roosevelt High School in 1952. Gail attended Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI) graduating in 1954 with an AA in Elementary Education. While at ISTC, she met Douglas Arthur Tvedt of Montour, Iowa, whom she married in Des Moines on August 13, 1955. Their marriage lasted 65 years until Doug’s death in February 2021. In 1954-55, she taught at the elementary school in Mount Vernon, Iowa. In 1955-56, Gail taught at the elementary school in Sac City, Iowa. Between 1957 and 1970, Doug and Gail lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Des Moines, Minneapolis again, and Naperville, Illinois, where she devoted her time to raising her seven children.
The family moved again in 1970 when Doug and Gail purchased The Airliner Restaurant in Iowa City, Iowa. They owned and operated The Airliner until 1988. Doug and Gail were equal partners in the business with Doug focusing on day-to-day operations and Gail focusing on bookkeeping and payroll. Gail also worked lunch hours directing the wait staff. Gail spent the rest of her time making sure her children focused on their studies and saved for college. Doug and Gail were quite proud that each of their children graduated with college degrees.
Doug and Gail both enjoyed sponsoring The Airliner Men’s Basketball Team, which was mostly comprised of former University of Iowa basketball players. The team won multiple national amateur championship titles (AAU, NABA) and also played several exhibition games against college teams, including Iowa, Drake, UNLV, Bradley, LSU, New Mexico and New Mexico State. The Airliner team also represented the United States in Argentina and Mexico. In addition, Doug and Gail took an All-Star Basketball Team representing the United States to Yugoslavia to play a series of games against the Olympic Gold Medal Yugoslavian Basketball team.
After selling the restaurant in 1988, Doug and Gail moved to Florida for a couple of years, working part time as real estate agents. They left real estate to become Sales Representatives for Giftbox Corporation of America, selling gift packaging in Florida. Later transferring to Wisconsin, and then back to Iowa City, they sold for Giftbox in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa. After working for Giftbox for 20 years, Gail finally retired. Gail enjoyed sewing, knitting, traveling, spending time with her family, and watching her grandchildren participate in sports, theatre and music.
Gail Tvedt is survived by her seven children: Kevin Tvedt of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Kimberly (Brian) Biegger of Loveland, Ohio; Lisa (Marty) McLaughlin of Marion, Iowa; Daniel Tvedt of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Brian Tvedt of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Kristen (Randy) Olson of Hernando, Florida; and John (Roseanne) Tvedt of Stevensville, Maryland; nineteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Gail Tvedt was preceded in death by her husband, Douglas Tvedt, her parents Ernest and Bessie Gustafson, her sister Karen Heddinger, her daughter-in-law Denise Tvedt (wife of Brian Tvedt), and her grandson Benjamin Tvedt (son of Daniel Tvedt).