John Peter KASSLER

KASSLER, PORTER, HAY, WELLS, MICHELETTI, CATANESE, NOXON

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/16/2014 at 13:54:18

December 30, 1932 --- July 11, 2014

John Peter ("Pete") Kassler, 81, passed away Thursday, July 11, 2014, at Legacy Lodge Hospice in Chariton, Iowa. John was born December 30, 1932, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the son of Esther Louise (Porter) and Carl Joseph Kassler. John enjoyed his childhood years in the home his mother, a homemaker, and father, proprietor of Marion Electric Company and a WWI veteran, built upon their marriage. John was active in high school football, basketball, track, and softball, as well as all school musical activities at Marion High School. He spoke many times of throwing the winning basket in a close game with a rival team in the WaMac Conference. During his senior year he performed in a clarinet trio which was the only instrumental ensemble entry from Marion High School to earn a Division I rating at state music contest that year.

His future wife, Leota, was one of the members of that trio. Upon graduation from high school John attended the University of Iowa. He graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 1955 and later received a Master of Music degree from the same institution. John was drafted into the United States Army five days after graduating from college. He was stationed at Fort Holabird in Baltimore, Maryland, where he served in the Counter Intelligence Corps. On September 3, 1955, he married his high school sweetheart, Leota Marie Hay. Upon John’s discharge from the Army in 1957 he began a thirty-five year career as a public school instrumental music educator, with his first position in Kanawha, Iowa. He also enjoyed tenure in the Winfield -Wyman school system and the Iowa Valley (Marengo) school system. From 1966-1992 he was the High School Band Instructor at Chariton Community High School. Under John's leadership the high school band and its members enjoyed many successes, receiving top ratings at state music contests and record numbers of individual Division I ratings at state solo and ensemble contests. John’s students were consistently selected for the Iowa All State Band and other noted honor bands, and received music scholarships to various colleges and universities. John maintained a summer program that included weekly concerts on the Chariton Court House lawn. Teaching and music were highlights of John's life. He took great pride in the accomplishments of his students, many of whom continue to play and enjoy music, and pursue careers as music educators and professional musicians because of his influence and encouragement.

In his later years, John always enjoyed hearing about past students, their lives and their success. For many years John conducted the Aeolian Singers, a choral ensemble that had a long tradition of musical theater productions and concerts of classical choral music. John has also conducted the Chariton United Methodist Adult and Handbell Choirs. In his retirement John enjoyed golfing, playing clarinet in the Russell Town Band and Chariton Community band, the IBARD retired band directors band, and adjudicating Iowa High School Music Association music contests. He also had several private students. He was a faithful member of the First United Methodist Church. He also volunteered with the SHIIP program and greatly enjoyed helping people with their needs.

He is survived by his wife, Leota, daughter Barbara (Michael) Wells of Storm Lake, Iowa; son, David Kassler of Rochester, Minnesota; grandson Benjamin Wells, of Decorah, Iowa; sister, Kay Micheletti of Colorado Springs, Colorado; niece Cindy (Tony) Catanese of Lakewood, Colorado; and nephews James (Marcia) Noxon of Ames, Iowa and Robert Noxon of Colorado Springs, Colorado.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to the Chariton Public Library, the First United Methodist Church, or the Legacy Lodge Hospice House.

Fielding Funeral Home - Chariton, Iowa
http://www.fieldingfuneralhomes.com/obits/obituary.php?id=599980