Lorraine Fretz Kastle

Wagener – Lorraine Fretz Kastle, 94, entered into rest Wednesday, October 18, 2017.

Lorraine was born in Doylestown, PA, on February 17, 1923 to the late J. Elwyn Fretz and Mabel Allshouse Fretz. 

Lorriane was the mother of Linda L. Taylor of Davenport, FL, Kerry L. Kastle of Harleysville, PA, and Dale Elizabeth and Ray Kastle of Wagener. 

She had six grandchildren, Tracy, Trina, Brian, Heather, Krista and Kathryn.  She also had six great grandchildren, Tanya, Tommy, Taryn, Wesley, Sage, and Arden. And a great great grandson Clayton was born in 2016.

She is survived by a brother, Dale Fretz and his wife Francis Fretz. Her other brother, John E. Fretz, passed awat in 1995.  She was also preceded in death by her husband, Dale E. Kastle.

Lorraine was a very talented artist.  She started out coloring photographs for a local photographer before color film was available.  She also began learning and working at tole painting, a once very popular form of art in Pennsylvania. She later applied this same artwork along with other techniques to ceramics and opened up her own studio, Peace Valley Ceramics, in New Britain, PA, where she taught adult and children classes.  After she closed her studio, she continued to paint country wood pieces and sold them at craft shows and also gave them to friends and family as gifts.  She had a true gift at combining the right colors on her projects and always made sure every detail was completed. The local photographer in Doylestown, Charlie Maddox, always said she was the best at what she did and he was never able to find another colorist that compared to her professional abilities.   

She will be greatly missed by all of her family and friends.

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