Lucille Mae Kaste was born on May 22, 1921 in rural Alma, Wisc., the daughter of Arthur and Lorena Kaste. She was the "big sister" to five brothers and sisters. She helped with chores indoors and out, was a good student but not a high school graduate, and enjoyed church and family gatherings.

After working as a hired girl, she married Willard William Kennen on June 5, 1939 and lived near Winona, MN. Four sons were born to them -- Ray, Dale, Wayne and Don. The family moved to the Rush City area in 1943, settling first west of town (farming with Willard's parents) and moving to the farm in rural Harris in 1948. When Ray took over the farm after his marriage, they built their present house "across the road." After Willard's death, Lucille was able to remain there with Don until this past July when a fall brought a move to an assisted living facility in Wyoming. She made new friends there and enjoyed the pleasant surroundings until suffering a massive stroke on December 29, 2006. She died peacefully on January 2, 2007, at the age of 85 years.

Lucille worked hard - farm wives who are also mothers to four boys have no choice! Lucille enjoyed vegetable gardening and grew enough to feed her own family and to share with neighbors. That meant she did a lot of canning and freezing, too. She was a big supporter of her sons' activities and busily attended football and basketball events. FFA and 4-H were important to the whole family and Willard and Lucille quite literally were the Chisago County Fair 4-H cafeteria crew for many years. She enjoyed travel and, with Willard, was able to see Alaska as well as much of the western and southeastern United States. And, after Willard's death, she was able to travel locally on her own, learning to drive and getting her first driver's license then!

Family, church and friends were the focus of her life. She was grateful to finally have girls around when Ray, Dale, and Wayne married and smiled a lot when the first grandchildren were also girls. She enjoyed watching her seven grandchildren grow up and give her 11 great-grandchildren.

She was a faithful member of First Lutheran, Rush City, and especially active with the women's groups there, serving meals, quilting and participating in a Bible study circle.

She will also be missed by many neighbors and friends including her Brickyard ladies group, others from the Rush City Senior Dining Site, and her new friends from Meadows on Fairview.

Lucille will be remembered by all who knew her for her quiet way, her love of family, and her commitment to her faith and her friends.

Rev. Laurie O'Shea officiated at funeral services Sunday 1 p.m (1/7/07) at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church of Rush City. Music was provided by Dianne Kirchberg and Jan Goebel. Casket Bearers included grandsons Mark, Mike and Kurt Kennen and grandsons-in-law Jon Hansen, Don Anderson and Rob Diedrich with the interment in the First Lutheran Cemetery of Rush City.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the Funeral and Cremation Service of Rush City, Olson Chapel.

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