Helen Josephine Kastner was born in Danville, Illinois on January 5, 1929, to Rev. Joseph W. and Dortha (Goode) Peters. In fullness of faith, she rested in Jesus her Savior, after finishing life's race and fighting the good fight, on Saturday, February 14, 2026.

Jo came to Bethany, OK to attend Bethany Peniel College, now Southern Nazarene University, in 1949, at the age of 20. She resided in Bethany the next 68 years, before living her final years with her daughter, Linda, in Yukon.

Jo's early employment consisted of cleaning houses for others. Later, she became a clerk at the Bethany Book Store. After working there several years, Jo briefly retired, before finishing her working career, part-time, on the custodial staff at Southern Nazarene University.

Jo married Don Kastner in 1968. They were married 14 years until Don passed away following a lengthy illness. Their marriage was marked by tremendous love and dedication.

Jo was outgoing. She knew no strangers, at least not for long, and had many friends.

She enjoyed sweets, collected cookie jars and Jello molds, and frequently stopped at antique stores as she traveled.

And Jo loved to travel! Throughout her life, she crisscrossed the USA on Greyhound buses to visit family, friends and destinations. She even had a goal that she dutifully pursued of making a personal visit to every town in Oklahoma.

Jo was an avid learner. She loved to read, especially the word of God. She kept scrapbooks, photo albums and journals of all the things that fascinated her.

Music was Jo's gift and passion. She shared that gift freely, playing for churches, events, and family throughout her life. Even as age and health made other tasks more difficult, she made a daily trek to her piano to fill God's good creation with the beauty of her playing.

What Jo is best known for, however, is her love for Jesus Christ. She became a Christian at an early age and served her Lord with abandon throughout her days. She loved her church, Bethany First Church of the Nazarene. She regularly prayed for her family, over the church's directory, and for missionaries around the globe. She went out of her way to meet people and then earnestly prayed for God's ministry to those folks. She gave freely of herself and of her often very limited means to further the church's mission and God's kingdom around the world. Her desire was for everyone to come to know and trust her Savior. She served and loved as one who followed in the way of Jesus. Her legacy, her greatest gift to her family and to this world, is a legacy of faithfulness to Jesus and to the ministry of Jesus' Body, the church.

Well done, good and faithful servant!!!

Jo is survived by her daughter, Linda Acre (Darrell), of Yukon, OK; son, Barry Mason (Gayla), of Durant, OK; stepson, Steve Kastner (Debbie), of Corpus Christi, TX; stepdaughter, Pam DeTroye (Ron), of Oostburg, Wisconsin; brother-in-law, Glen Kastner (Judy) of Oklahoma City, OK; sister-in-law, Mary Lou Bird; sister-in-law, Ruanna McCarty; nephew, Gary Gabriel; nephew, Greg Gabriel; 17 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren, 5 great-great-grandchildren, and a host of cousins, nieces and nephews whom she regularly remembered on their birthdays, called on the phone, or sent written correspondence.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Jospeh and Dortha Peters; her brother, Rev. Victor Peters (Margret); her sister, Verna Peters; her husband, Don Kastner; her daughter, Ronda Mason Hadley; her stepson, Kenneth Kastner; her niece, Melanie Keeler; and her niece, Michelle Gabriel.

Viewing at Mercer-Adams will be Thursday, 9am-8pm with family present from 6-8pm. Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 20, 10:00am, at Bethany First Church of the Nazarene with interment following in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. The service will be livestreamed and may be viewed on this obituary page.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Jesus Film Harvest Partners at www.jfhp.org or by clicking on the link below.

https://www.jfhp.org/