Loren "Doc" Kastner

Loren (Doc) Irwin Kastner was delivered into this world by his Great Uncle, Dr. Walter Schultz, of Schleswig on May 3, 1936, the son of Irwin and Erna Kastner. This wonderful event took place in Otter Creek Township, Crawford County, Iowa on the Kastner family farm, which is located three miles west and one mile south of Kiron. He died at Bergan Mercy Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska, October 4, 2014, at the age of seventy-eight.
Doc was baptized in Christ June 10, 1936 and confirmed March 15, 1951, by Pastor A.F. Rinne at the Friedens Evangelical and Reformed Church in Schleswig, Iowa. Doc received his primary education at the Otter Creek Township 2 Country School which was located one mile north of the Kastner family farm. Doc’s first year in primary school proved to be very difficult for him as well as for his teacher. This was due to the fact that he spoke only German and that his teacher only spoke English. The problem was finally resolved by the family not speaking German but only English in Doc’s presence. After completing his elementary education from the Otter Creek Township 2 Country School in the spring of 1950, Doc attended the Schleswig Community High School and graduated in the spring of 1954.
Doc met Shirley Jurgensen at a polka dance and on November 2, 1958, the couple was united in marriage. They were blessed with the birth of four children. Loren was a farmer prior to being employed at IBP (Tyson Foods) in Denison. Doc instilled in his children the love of farming and would go to the farm with his son, Cal, to help. He was a known piddler who enjoyed camping and fishing with friends and grandchildren, his dog, and spending holidays with his family. At Christmas he enjoyed putting up Christmas ornaments and eating duck, goose and potatoes. He was a firm minded man who enjoyed a good game of cards, especially Schafkopf (Sheepshead). He also enjoyed westerns, movies, and traveling to Lake Preston in South Dakota with Murlin, Bill and Jerry. Doc was also on the Property Committee at the United Church of Christ.
Doc is preceded in death by: his parents; one son, Craig in 1967. Survivors include his wife, Shirley; two sons, Corey and his wife, Deanna; Cal; one daughter, Trudi and her husband, Craig; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one sister, Leila and her husband, Larry; three brothers, Larry; Lodean; and Lonnie; many other relatives and friends.