Lillian Zastrow

Lillian Dorothea Zastrow, 101, of Mankato, died March 12, 2022 at Ecumen Pathstone Living in Mankato.

Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 19, 2022 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Amboy with visitation one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at Barnard Valley View Cemetery in rural Good Thunder. Livestreaming will be available at www.mankatomortuary.com. Mankato Mortuary is assisting the family.

Lillian was born August 8, 1920 to Henry and Elisa (Buckentin) Thiesfeld in Sumter Township, McLeod County, Minnesota. She attended school in the McLeod County area. On May 20, 1947, she married Linus Zastrow in Glencoe. Together they raised five children. Lillian was a homemaker and later in life, worked as an elementary teacher’s aide and in the school library. She and Linus lived in Good Thunder for 40 years and after retirement, they moved to rural Amboy by the river. They grew fruits and vegetables and sold them at the Farmer’s Market in Mankato and Blue Earth. In her free time, Lillian enjoyed gardening, canning, and watching wildlife by the river. She also enjoyed playing cards, crossword puzzles, spending time with her grandchildren, and was known to be the family peacemaker.

Lillian is survived by her five children, Barbara (Ron) Kaul, Beverly Gosewisch, Bonita Steppa, Bruce (Julie) Zastrow, and Beatrice (Joe) Caven; 11 grandchildren, Nikki and Christin Kaul, Brian (Kelley) Gosewisch, Skye Gosewisch, Guy (Britny) Zastrow, Yahna (Andy) Zaharia, Micah (Kiara Ubl) Zastrow, Claire (Ben) Moldan, David (Stacy) Caven, Bill (Amanda) Caven, and Lisa (Cory) Harnitz; 18 great-grandchildren, Chance, Cade, Gage, and Lane Gosewisch, Levi and Ethan Zastrow, Talin Thate, Joel Zaharia, Sky Langford, Shane Zastrow, Lexi, Dani, Josi, and Sami Caven, Oliver Caven, and Liza, Dutch, and Ivy Harnitz; sister-in-law, Anita Thiesfeld; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Linus; parents; son-in-law, Steve Gosewisch; great-grandson, Hunter Gosewisch; brothers, Hillard (Leatrice) Thiesfeld, Melvin Thiesfeld, Albert (Donna) Thiesfeld; and sister, Leona (Melford) Schwarzrock.    

A special thank you to the staff at Pathstone for the loving care they gave Lillian.