Jean Kastman
Jean Marie Kastman
September 20th, 1931 – May 12th, 2026
*Author’s Note: The following excerpts in our “Life Stories” are from the Celebration of Life service for Jean Kastman for you to read, reflect, and pay your respects privately. It was an honor to learn about Jean and to be entrusted to serve her family. She will be dearly missed by many.
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Memorial sentiments from the family: Jean was born on September 20th, 1931. On June 4th, 1948, she married her dear George, and they welcomed 3 children into the world. Jean adored her years with George. They built their own home in Kenosha and enjoyed going to their cabin up north. They lived a truly wonderful life together.
Jean lived a life full of love, laughter, and unwavering dedication to her family and friends. She was known for her kind-hearted nature, her infectious laughter, and her ability to make anyone feel welcome.
She was a churchgoing woman with a heart of gold. In addition to her marriage to George and having three girls (Joanne, Susan, and Sandy), her biggest pleasures in life were the vacations as a family and seeing the sites of Yellowstone, Old Faithful, Mount Rushmore, Badlands, and more- all in a pop-up camper. Years later, having a cabin in the Northwoods on the lake and enjoying swimming and fishing with her girls and the fresh fish fry when George came back with his catch of the day. Having a pool in the yard at home and swimming was big with her and her girls and their friends. As time went on, some of her best holidays were going to Minnesota to spend Christmas and Thanksgiving with Jim, Sandy, Dawn, Mike, George, Brian, Lindsey, Hunter, and Cloe- being with her daughter, son-in-law, grandkids, and great grandkids.
After losing her second husband, Paul, she moved into an apartment where she enjoyed playing bingo, cards, and dominoes with the residents there. Having her over to Joanne’s house on other holidays or Packers or Brewers games, she always came with full team outfits or colorful costumes- once looking like a firecracker on the 4th of July.
She loved going to Joanne’s for a good meal and a great Bloody Mary. Being friends with Danny’s mom, Arlene, they always came together for a good meal, drinks, and good conversation. Before Jean had to quit driving, her and Arlene would always go out to dinner and catch a good movie, something they both loved to do. She cherished the visits from her granddaughter, Dawn, and Mike and great grandson, George, granddaughter Tammy and great grandkids Anna, Nolan, and Mabel. Her gambling buddy, grandson Brian, would go back and forth with Packers/Vikings games. (Jean is way ahead on these bets.) Jean also loved picking on Danny whenever they played cards. She didn’t care if she won as long as Danny lost. They had a fun banter of playfully picking on each other, and she loved that. Danny was her go to guy. Whatever she needed done, he was there for her.
She lived a comfortable life the last fifteen years as Joanne was her loving caretaker, and there was nothing she wouldn’t do for her. Jean had a collection of paper clips, rubber bands, scissors, and nail clippers. Why?? We will never know.
Jean lived a good, full life. Be happy for her. She recently expressed her final wish of being reunited with George, the love of her life, in heaven where she’ll have a Bloody Mary and she’ll make him a Manhattan, and they will toast to lives well-lived and be together again and always.
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As we reflect on Jean’s 94 years, it may feel like it all went by far too quickly. While no length of time- even almost 100 years- with our loved ones will ever seem long enough, know that it was an absolute blessing to have had Jean present on this earth for almost a century. Her time here and her time spent with each of you was a precious gift. When your world is feeling a little too empty, may you fill it with gratitude that your time here overlapped with Jean’s and that you were blessed to know her.
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I’d like to share with you this poem, and I think it is just so beautiful. It’s all about perspective. While we are letting go, others are welcoming her home.
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side, spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other. Then, someone at my side says, “There, she is gone.” Gone where? Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast, hull and spar as she was when she left my side. And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port. Her diminished size is in me— not in her. And, just at the moment when someone says, “There, she is gone,” there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, “Here she comes!” – GONE FROM MY SIGHT Attributed to Henry Van Dyke
And I think that is something to celebrate. Celebrate her life and beautiful journey into the great beyond. May you know in your heart that she is at peace, she is home now in the loving embrace of our Lord in heaven. She is reunited with the many loved ones she had been missing including her parents, George and Helga, her husband of 43 years, George, her second husband of 11 years, Paul, her sisters, Doris and Toot, so very many friends and other dear family members. Her daughter said- almost everyone Jean knew and loved was already in heaven. She is most assuredly surrounded by love.
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Jean will be forever loved and missed by her children, Sandra, Susan, and Joanne, her sons-in-law, Jim, Gene, and Danny, 5 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, her sister, Georgia, and other dear family members and friends.
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Mother Theresa said, “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
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Jean, may you rest in eternal peace knowing you are dearly loved.
My sincere condolences and love, Holly