My dear and awesome mom, Dolores Elizabeth Kastuk, left this earth to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on June 22 at 11:05 in the morning.
The “Best Mom Ever” was born to Mary and Frank Franzese on January 15. 1932. While she was in my grandma’s womb she was not alone. Not only was God present, creating my mom, but He was simultaneously creating my Aunt Dorothy, my mom’s identical twin. (Please pray for Aunt Dorothy, she misses my mom terribly,)
God blessed my mom’s life incredibly. She grew up in Ossining NY with my amazing grandparents Frank and Mary Franzese. They were wonderful parents and of course aunt Dorothy was in that mix of family and joy.
Mom graduated from Ossining High School and for a short time worked for Fischer Body and after that her and Aunt Dorothy worked for The Mary Knoll Sisters. Mom and Aunt Dot loved Jesus from an early age.
My mother met my dad, Paul Kastuk, and after dating a short while they were married on February 15, 1953. One year later my aunt Dorothy married my dad’s brother Steve Kastuk. One year after my aunt and uncle were married they moved into a two-family house with my mom and dad. Mom and Aunt Dot lived in that house together until mom went home to Jesus this past Monday.
I speak of this because it was one of the amazing ways Jesus blessed my mom, of the 94 years of life He gave to her, 92 of them were lived in beautiful intimacy with her sister.
God blessed my mom and dad with two beautiful children. Me, on March 19, 1958 and then my sister Paula on January 20, 1960.
My mom never went to college, never did anything that the world would consider monumental, she was not a super success in business, science or politics. However, mom was a Rock Star at what truly mattered. She created a home of love and peace and joy. She always loved Paula and I no matter the ridiculously stupid and hurtful things we did. Jesus made my mom a source o comfort peace and forgiveness
Mom’s faith in Jesus made her incredibly strong. On September 25,2016 the Lord brought my sister into His Presence. She was the baby of our small family. Six weeks before Paula past my mom said to me, “I just gave Paula back to God and I thanked Him for the 56 years He allowed me to have her.” As much as mom’s heart was broken and her spirit crushed, she NEVER wavered in her love for Jesus nor her faith in Jesus. He in fact carried her.
A year later on November 28, 2017 God called my dad home. Mom’s faith in Jesus once again allowed Him to carry and encourage her. And one of the most blessed ways that Jesus encouraged my mom was through her sister.
They would be together constantly. They would garden, weed, rake the lawn, play Marjon, play scabble, visit friends and family, go out for lunches and dinners, at night they would watch the news, jeopardy, wheel of fortune, NCIS, golf and whatever. They would say good night to each other and as they went to their bed rooms they would be looking forward to the next day when they would once again be together.
My mom is now with her Great God and King Jesus Christ. There is no more pain or sorrow or loneliness or fear or worry or tears or heart break. Just joy incomprehensible as she is forever in the presence of Eternal Glory, Majesty, Grace and Love. Because of Jesus Christ I will surely see mom again.
To all of you who knew her and loved her I thank you because God used each of you to richly and profoundly bless the life of my mom.
Please pray for my aunt Dorothy. Pray that the promise that God gives in His Word becomes a great reality for her. The promise is this: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His Face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His Face toward you and give you peace” through Jesus.
And finally, my mom is survived by her sister Dorothy Kastuk, me – her s
on Paul Kastuk my wife Julie and, Her 6 Grandchildren Paul Kastuk IV and his wife Amanda, Kim Kastuk, Sara Thompson and her husband Aaron, Bill Gallagher and his wife April, Mark Gallagher and his wife Danielle and Griffin Gallagher. She is also survived by her 10 Great Grand Children.

Visiting hours are on Friday, June 26th from 3-7 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, Morrissey Drive, Putnam Valley. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. on Saturday June 26th at the Church of the North American Martyrs, and interment will follow at Assumption Cemetery.