Obituary of Caroline Austerman

CAROLINE MARIE (GASPER) AUSTERMAN Sunrise 12-3-1921 – Sunset 2-24-2017 After 95 remarkable years of devotion to her family, friends and community, Caroline Marie Austerman passed away peacefully at the Norton County Hospital on February 24, 2017. She was born December 3, 1921 in Tipton, Kansas, to Nickolas and Regina (Mick) Gasper. She graduated from Tipton High School in 1940 and assisted her parents on the farm. After World War II, Caroline was united in marriage September 18, 1945 to Corporal Reynold (Rex) Austerman of Clayton, Kansas at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Tipton, Kansas. They lived in Anton, Colorado for nearly five years, then moved to the Austerman family farm northwest of New Almelo, Kansas. Her husband, Rex, passed away October 12, 1975 after 30 years of happiness together. She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, St. Ann’s Society and the Friendship Club at New Almelo. Caroline was the custodian at the Rural Telephone Company at Lenora, Kansas for eleven years and also worked cleaning and painting houses in the area for a number of years. She moved to Norton, Kansas in November 1991, and was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and St. Francis Altar Society. Caroline loved to play cards, enjoyed embroidering and bingo. (Yes, she called ahead and there is bingo on Tuesday nights.) Caroline and son, Jim Austerman, were the winners of the Kansas Banker’s Windbreak Award in 1994. She is survived by one daughter, Letha Regina Austerman, San Diego, California; two grandsons, Nicholas W. Austerman, Clayton, Kansas; Miles J. Austerman, Oskaloosa, Kansas; sister, Rosella Austerman, Norton, Kansas; sister-in-law, Helena Gasper, Tipton, Kansas; and many nieces, nephews and friends. Caroline was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Rex; son, Jim; daughter-in-law, Dellene; twin brother, Theodore in infancy; sisters, Katherine Schroeder, Matilda Muths and Pauline Kohn; brothers, John, Leo, Walter and his twin brother Peter in infancy, Felix; brothers-in-law, Carl, and wife, Louise Austerman; Hank Austerman; sisters-in-law, Zita, and husband, Dale Conley; Cresentia Gasper. VISITATION – Tuesday, February 28, 2017 from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M. at the Enfield Funeral Home in Norton. ROSARY – Tuesday, February 28, 2017 –7:00 P.M. PLACE – Enfield Funeral Home – Norton, KS MASS OF THE CHRISTIAN BURIAL – Thursday, March 2, 2017—10:30 A.M. PLACE – St. Joseph's Catholic Church – New Almelo, KS INTERMENT – St. Joseph's Cemetery – New Almelo, KS MEMORIALS – St. Joseph's Cemetery in New Almelo St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Norton