Celebrating the Life of Gus Figueiredo

The legendary story of Gustavo Jose Figueiredo began in Shanghai on March 7, 1921. Although records are spotty, it is believed that Gus was born with a deck of cards in one hand and a book of timeless corny jokes in the other.  As the youngest child in a clan of 15, Gus quietly marched his way through his early years, equipped with a quick wit, an unquenchable thirst for education, and that mythical deck of cards.

Throughout his life, this thirst for knowledge propelled him to the corners of the world, reaching admirable heights in practically every endeavor. At the ripe age of 17, Gus set out on his own to Manchuria to work for his uncle.  Two years later, Gus and his brother Jorge embarked on the 45-day journey from Shanghai to Brazil.  Upon reaching this new country, Gus found work at the American Chamber of Commerce in Sao Paulo and later at American Consulate in Curitiba.



As the war came to a close, Gus set his sights towards the United States.  His initial trip to the States ended abruptly when he was immediately drafted by the US Army and shipped to Korea.  After returning to the States in 1947, Gus attended New York University while working full time.  Within months of being back, Gus fell in love with Doris Nyland and asked her to marry him. Two years later, they were "blessed" with their first child, Rick.

Gus graduated from NYU with a degree in Business Administration in 1951.  Within the next year, he picked up his family and moved back to Brazil with the intentions of starting a business with his brother Jorge.  While this adventure did not pan out as Gus had hoped,  his good-natured, optimistic outlook on life never wavered.   As time passed, two more children would bear the Figueiredo name (Lucille in 1953, Steve in 1954) all while Gus worked random jobs to keep his family afloat.

Gus's hard work and magnetic personality opened many doors for him along the way.  In 1960, Gus landed a job at Warner-Lambert as a "Controller". He continuously climbed the ladder, moving his family to the Philippines in 1962 and Hong Kong in 1971 as fruitful opportunities were presented. He eventually retired with the company in 1986. But before he was through, Gus held titles like "CFO of International Operations" and "President of Asia, Australia, Canada, and Latin America."

Although Gus understood the importance of burning the midnight oil, he never strayed too far from that deck of cards.  Gus used to joke that, as a kid, he learned how to count like this, "...8,9,10 J,Q,K."   From his childhood all the way to the end, playing cards, in some shape or form, was a constant in his life.

Bridge was one of the many card games where Gus's talents flourished. In 1968, Gus represented the Philippines at the World Bridge Olympiad in France, playing in one of the games against Omar Shariff.  His various bridge partners praised his tactical skills at the game, but really relished the conversations they had with him when the cards were not in play.

Gus's corny sense of humor, vivid storytelling, and uncanny ability to inoffensively tell people "how it is" sprinkled upbeat energy into those often-dry card tables.  At these card rooms, Gus's enormous heart converted "his success" into "our success." When Gus won, everyone that came with him won as well. His generosity could be felt miles away.

When not working or card playing, Gus was a fabulous husband, a phenomenal father, and a faithful friend. His love for those people close to him exuded like the brightest ray of sunlight.

Following the death of Doris in 1989, Gus still had so much love left to give. In 1991, Gus married Edyth Tebbutt and he opened the doors of his heart to her and the entire Tebbutt family.

Gus's everlasting love is what many will remember the most.  His love for learning, love for cards, and most importantly the love he had for his family and friends.

Gus Figueiredo was a man admired by all and a mentor to many. He could tickle your funny bone with a tenacious tale and touch your heart with a simple smile. He taught unforgettable lessons to all of his children, each message a memory that they will forever hold dear. His incomparable personality shall never be forgotten and his legend will always be greatly revered.