Obituary of Andre van Kasteren

van Kasteren, Andre of Aylmer passed away peacefully at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 in his 83rd year. Beloved husband of Lotty (Peltenburg) vanKasteren. Dear father of Roy vanKasteren and wife Mary Jane of Lucan, Jack vanKasteren and wife Kathy of Aylmer, Mary-Lou Jones and husband Grant of Port Stanley, Jeanette McKnight of St. Thomas, Harry vanKasteren and wife Gail of Aylmer. Loving grandpa of Jamie(Lenny), Craig(Marta), Jodi(Mike), Chris(Jessica), Tom(Trish), Jill(Marco), Carl(Tanya), Kevin(Jess), Karen(Darryl), Michael, Curtis, Bradley and great-grandpa of Gabriella, Alianna, Michaela, Brooklynn, Cecily. Brother of Adrian and Harry and a sister Karen. Predeceased by a brother Jac. Born in The Netherlands on June 13, 1932, son of the late Christ and Antoinette (van Leyden) vanKasteren. André (Andy) was born into the sixth generation of the dairy industry. He married on March 25, 1954 to his wife Lotty. Arrived in Montreal Canada on April sixth, 1954. Delivered milk in London, Ontario while farming with his wife and five children (three boys and two girls). Moved to Malahide Township in 1964, where they lived for 23 years before moving to Aylmer in 2010. He served on the Elgin County Holstein Club from 1966-1974 as a committee member and president in 1973. Served on the CPTA Assumption School from 1970-1974 as president and vice-president. Served on the Elgin County Milk Committee from 1972-1981 as a committee member and chairman. He served on church council at Our Lady of Sorrows, Aylmer from 1976-1978. Started in 1978 as a councillor for Malahide Township for three terms, and from 1986-1991 as deputy reeve. He designed a flag and lapel pin for Malahide Township in time for the 1985 Elgin County International Plowing Match. From 1991-1993 he served on the Elgin County Planning Board. Served a three-year term as reeve in 1995-1997. In 1998-2000 he became the first mayor of Malahide Township after amalgamation with Springfield and South Dorchester. He served as a board member of the Elgin County Pioneer Museum in St. Thomas from 1985-2000. Served on the St. Thomas Elgin Tourist Association and was a member for many years. He was also a member of Elgin-Oxford-Norfolk association of curators and directors of art galleries, museums, historical societies and archives. Member of Ontario Museum Association for many years. Andy founded the Dairy and Heritage Museum in Port Bruce in 1994 and operated the museum with Lotty until it was sold to Gay Lea Foods in 2008. He was a proud Canadian and gave back with his time as much as he could. He was an honest man and treated everybody the same as he would like to be treated himself. He will be missed in the community. Friends may call at the H. A. Kebbel Funeral Home, Aylmer on Thursday 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. The funeral mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Sorrows R.C. Church, Aylmer on Friday, October 31, 2014 at 11:00 am.Interment, Queen of Peace Cemetery. Donations to the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation would be appreciated. Share memories or condolences at kebbelfuneralhome.com " Lotty and family would like to thank Dr. K. Jones, Doctors, Nurses and staff of CCC at St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital for the excellent care you gave to Andy."