PHILLIPS COUNTY
Colorado
ADELLA W (SANDER) KERSTNER
Holyoke Enterprise, Holyoke, Colorado, February 12, 1987
ADELLA KERSTNER SERVICES HELD
Adella W. Kerstner was born in Jackson, Missouri August 21, 1887 to John and Hannah Sander. She attended schools in Jackson, Missouri. One of these schools was a parochial school.
Adella was confirmed at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Jackson, Missouri. She very much loved her family and her church. She was united in marriage to Rev. Alvin H. Kerstner September 1, 1920. To this union three children were born, Paul, Mervyn and Walter James.
Adella moved from Amherst to Denver in 1948. She lived in Denver from 1948-1981. From 1981-1986 she lived with her sons in Ohio and Florida. Her last years were spent in a convalescent home in Lakeworth, Florida.
She is survived by two sons, Mervyn and James, three daughters-in-law, nine grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and one niece. Della was preceded in death by her husband Rev. Alvin H. Kerstner and her son Paul Kerstner who died in September in 1975.
Interment was at the St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery in Amherst. Thompson Mortuary of Holyoke in cooperation with E. Earl Smith Funeral Home of Lakeworth, Florida was in charge of arrangements.
REV. A.H. KERSTNER
Holyoke Enterprise, Holyoke, Colorado, May 8 1947
AMHERST MINISTER DIES SUDDENLY
The Amherst community was shocked this week when it was learned that their pastor, the Rev. A.H. Kerstner, had died suddenly on Monday evening from a heart attack. He had not been feeling good during the past week and had consulted a doctor, but no serious trouble was found, but complained of feeling very tired after a busy day on Sunday. In the evening he did some work in the garden and after the evening meal had gone to his room to lie down and soon afterward the family, upon hearing several bumps, found him lying on the floor, apparently dead.
Rev. Kerstner and family came to the Amherst community in the spring of 1945 from Hiawatha, Kansas.
Holyoke Enterprise, Holyoke, Colorado, May 15, 1947
SERVICES HELD FOR REV. A.H. KERSTNER
Funeral services for Rev. A.H. Kerstner were conducted Thursday afternoon in the Lutheran Church in Amherst with Rev. H.G. Hartner of Denver officiating.
A mixed quartette consisting of Mrs. Elmer Hassler, Miss Dorothy Nierman, Milton Oltjenbruns and Chester Krueger sang “Abide With Me” and “Rock of Ages.”
Walter Leben, Harry Naggatz and Albert Behrens, Elders, and Harry Oltjenbruns, E.C. Schmidt and George Rafert, Trustees of the church were the active pallbearers.
George Brinkema, chairman; Herman Leben, treasurer; Otto C. Nierman, secretary, and the board of education, Ed Kropp, William Ertzner and Martin Meinte, were honorary pallbearers, also 16 pastors from the Nebraska and Colorado district were present to pay tribute to their brother worker.
A short family service was given at the parsonage by Rev. H.C. Inselman of Venango, Nebraska.
The body was laid to rest in the Amherst cemetery where the service was conducted by Rev. R. Einspahr of Holyoke.
Relatives from Missouri attending were Mr. and Mrs. William Jahn of Kansas City, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Sander and Clarence Sander of Jackson.
A.H. Kerstner, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.H.C. Kerstner, was born on October 6, 1894 in Gordonville, Missouri. At the age of 14 years he was confirmed by Rev. Schlesselman, and in order to serve his Lord and Master, he decided to prepare for the holy ministry, and in 1910 he entered Concordia Theological Seminary at Springfield, Illinois and graduated from this institution in June 1919. His first charge was comprised of 3 counties in the state of Missouri where he did extensive mission work and organized several congregations.
On October 15, 1922 he was called to a congregation in Chaudlerville, Illinois where he served until May 30, 1926, when he accepted a call to Hiawatha, Kansas and after faithful service there for almost 20 years he received the call from Amherst, Colorado which he accepted and on February 11, 1945 was installed as pastor of St. Paul’s Church in Amherst. September 1, 1920 he entered the holy state of matrimony with Miss Adella Sander of Jackson, Missouri and God blessed this union with three sons, Paul, Mervyn and Walter James.
Pastor Kerstner died suddenly from a heart attack, when the call from his Lord, “Come, well done thou good and faithful servant” - came at 9:30 o’clock Monday evening, May 5th. He had served in the ministry nearly 28 years and reached the age of 52 years, 6 months, and 29 days.
Although Rev. Kerstner had served the Amherst Church only a little over two years, he was well thought of, not only by the members of the church, but by the entire community, and although the work and responsibility of the church was a great task, never the less he was always ready and willing to help out with anything pertaining to improvement of the town and community, and his greatest ambition was to do more for the youth of the community.
He leaves to mourn his beloved wife, three sons, Paul, Mervyn and Walter James all of Amherst, his father-in-law, John H. Sander of Jackson, two brothers, H. Kerstner of Dexter, Missouri and Emil Kerstner of Houston, Texas, and a host of relatives and friends. Both of his parents preceded him in death.
Friends and relatives expressed their sympathy with a mass of beautiful floral pieces and over $200.00 in memorials.
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Last updated December 2018
