Herman Kastner, age 95, Manhattan, KS, passed away peacefully at the Good Shepherd Hospice House on March 13, 2024.
Herman was born March 8, 1929, on a farm near Perry, Iowa, the son of Frank Kastner and Emily Biederman Kastner. Herman grew up in the Perry and Yale, Iowa communities attending the local schools including a one-room country school. He was a graduate of Panora High School and Iowa State College in 1950, with a B.S. Degree in Animal Science. He served in the Air Force as a 1st Lieutenant during the Korean War with a tour of duty in Okinawa.
While in the service and stationed at Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka, he met Rita Tasset of Kinsley, Kansas and they were married September 6, 1952. After military service he began farming near Kinsley, Kansas in 1953. Due to the 50’s drought he took a job with the John Hancock Farm Mortgage Department and later with the local county ASCS-USDA office. He continued what became a successful farming operation for over 40 years and retired from the USDA in 1987 after 30 years of service. In 1978, the family moved to Manhattan as Herman’s job took him to the ASCS (now FSA) State Office as Head Program Specialist for Farm Programs.
In college, Herman was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho social fraternity and a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Gamma Sigma Delta and Alpha Zeta honorary fraternities. Other college activities were membership on the Livestock Judging Team and Block and Bridle, Scabbard and Blade and Campus 4-H clubs.
Herman was a member of the St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, Habitat for Humanity, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and several business and professional organizations.
Survivors include his four children: David Kastner (Susan), Fayetteville, AR; Denise Anderson, Santa Fe, NM; Kathy Lyman (Chuck), Manhattan, KS and Cynthia Birnbaum (Jeff), Manhattan, KS. Herman is also survived by nine grandchildren, sixteen great grandchildren and his brother Joe Kastner, Davenport, IA
Herman was preceded in death by his parents, beloved wife Rita and siblings Paul as an infant, Alfred, Carl, Ernest, Helen and Francis.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at held on March 20, at 10:00 a.m., St Thomas More Catholic Church, 2900 Kimball Avenue in Manhattan. Visitation and a luncheon at St. Thomas More Utopia Room will be served directly after Mass. Inurnment will be at the Sunrise Cemetery, Manhattan at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday March 20, 2024.
Memorial contributions in memory of Herman are suggested to the St. Thomas More Catholic Church Trust Fund or the Good Shepherd Homecare and Hospice Inc. Memorial contributions may be sent in care of the Yorgensen-Meloan-Londeen Funeral Home, 1616 Poyntz Avenue, Manhattan, Kansas 66502.