Grace M. Kasitz, 90, went to be with the Lord on Saturday (June 4, 2011) at Schowalter Villa in Hesston.
She was born on Feb. 28, 1921, to Abraham and Helena (Franz) Bestvater. Grace grew up in McPherson County and attended school at Emma Valley Grade School. Following school, she stayed at home to help her parents. Grace dedicated her life to the Lord, and in 1939, she was baptized at Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church in Goessel. She later worked at Young’s Lunch in Newton as a waitress.
On Nov. 4, 1945, Grace married Harry W. Kasitz at the Evengelical and Reformed Church in Newton. They lived in Newton for a while, then moved to Wichita. In the early 1950s, they were founding members of the Faith Evangelical and Reformed Church in Wichita, where Grace served as superintendent of the children’s Sunday school for many years.
In the 1960s, the family moved to White Memorial Camp in rural Council Grove. During the 18 years they lived there, Grace cooked and baked at the camp kitchen and was a member of the Kelso Bible Study and Council Grove square dance club. The family attended Council Grove United Church of Christ. In the 1980s, Harry and Grace moved back to Newton. Grace worked for 10 years in housekeeping for Bethel Clinic. They were members of the Circle 8 square dance club and attended First United Church of Christ in Newton. In her later years, Grace suffered from Alzhiemer’s. After several years of home care, she moved to Schowalter Villa in Hesston.
Survivors include her husband, Harry W. Kasitz of Newton; sons, David Kasitz and Robert Kasitz of Newton; two grandchildren, Lindsey McRoy and Lance Kasitz of Wichita; two great-grandchildren, Jaxson and Kynade McRoy of Wichita; brothers, John and Henry Bestvater of Newton; and sisters, Christine Peters of Hesston, Mildred Riekenberg of Lincoln and Mary Spencer of Wichita. She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Frank Bestvater; and sisters, Elizabeth Andrews, Martha Promenschenkel and Unilda Moffett.
Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Thursday (June 9, 2011) at Broadway Colonial Funeral Home in Newton, with family greeting from 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday (June 10, 2011) at First United Church of Christ in Newton. Burial will be at the Highland Cemetery in Hesston. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made left with First United Church of Christ or the White Memorial Camp, in care of the funeral home.
