OBITUARY: Violette (Lester) Gast, c1925-2003, Mitchell Co., Iowa

[Mitchell County Press-News online - Posted July 30, 2003]



                            Violette Lester Gast

Violette Lester Gast bid goodbye to this earth while catching the afternoon
breezes on July 23, 2003. Funeral services were held Wednesday, July 30, 2003
at the First United Methodist Church in Osage with the Rev. Karen Nichols
Dungan officiating. Interment will be in the Osage Cemetery.

She was born to Charles E. and Ida Belle (Pat) Lester on the family farm near
Hampton, on a crisp, clear November day. She was delivered by Dr. Joseph
Sams whose family would play a big part in the lives of Vi and her family
all her years in Osage. 

She attended school in Hansell. Growing up, her father instilled a love of
horses in her and she became an amazing horse woman. Riding was her passion. 
She was valedictorian of her senior class.

She attended Drake University for one year, then transferred to the
University of Iowa, from which she graduated. While there, she was an
active member of the Zeta Tau Alpha social sorority. By attending summer
classes, she was able to graduate in three years with a degree in what
was then called commercial education. That involved teaching typing,
shorthand and business skills.

Fresh out of college at 19, she took a job in Osage. A year later, a young,
handsome teacher named George Gast entered her life.  She signed a
contract to teach in Santa Fe, NM, the fall of 1945, just as World War II
was ending.  Vi ended her contract at the semester. She and George married
on February 2, 1946.

Charles Lester Gast was born in 1952 followed by George Gary Gast in 1957
and finally John Clifford Gast in December 1958.

Vi retired from teaching but worked in the bank in Osage for a number of
years. George started Osage Feed and Seed.  Vi handled the kids, house,
gardens and all the bookkeeping for the business. Vi was a member of
PEO and chaired numerous charities and committees for Osage and the
United Methodist Church.

When George retired, they began a whole new phase, spending winters in
St. Petersburg, FL. But they couldn't stay too long each winter as they
would desperately miss their grandchildren, Luke and Amber Gast.

Vi took great care of George after he was nearly killed in a car accident
in 1956 and spent months and months nurturing him back to health. He in turn
was her rock when she developed Alzheimer's disease in her final years.
They were two swans mated for life, and now, finally, together again.

Champion-Bucheit Funeral Home, (641) 732-3706 was in charge of arrangements.


Copyright 2003, K. Kittleson
(Edited)