Gordon Ronald Kastner was born July 31, 1936, in Newark, NJ. He lived his early years in Trenton, NJ where he became an avid NY Yankees baseball fan. After moving to Memphis, TN in 1947, he enrolled at St. Anne’s Catholic Church on Highland, serving as an altar boy and attending 5th through 8th grade at the Parrish School. His love for baseball grew in Memphis where he played baseball for St. Anne’s and the K of C Junior baseball league, embracing the St. Louis Cardinals and later the Memphis Redbirds.
Gordon attended high school at Christian Brothers High School on East Parkway where he was on both the baseball and basketball teams. He received the MVP trophy as catcher for the Brothers’ team. He earned his Bachelors of Science in Chemistry from Christian Brothers College, while lettering in baseball and basketball and playing in Memphis’ American Legion junior baseball team. After college, Gordon was stationed with the US Army in Tooele, Utah where he was in the chemical corps and earned a spot on the Army Baseball Team. Upon returning to Memphis, and while working at Buckeye Cellulose as a chemist, he earned his MA from Memphis State University in 1972 and taught at the Fogelman Business College there. Gordon later went into partnership with his father to own and operate the Dutch Pancake House restaurant on Perkins Road for many years and later retired from the restaurant business in 2009. Wanting to pass his love for and knowledge of the game to younger generations, he coached baseball at St. Michael Catholic School where his older four children attended school, also coaching the basketball team on several occasions, and was an active Parishioner. During his working years, Gordon continued his baseball career in Memphis playing in local and national Championship games for various park leagues, most notably, the Fountain of Youth/Hernando Desoto Baseball League, where he was three-time batting champion and five-time MVP. Gordon played until the age of 71 when he was inducted into the league’s Hall of Fame.
“Gordie” as he was affectionately called by many, had an encyclopedic knowledge of all things sports and could recite the names of teams, players and stats from the past 75 years. He was an avid bowler, winning the annual Senior State CYO bowling tournament representing St. Michael-St. Anne’s. His sharp wit and quick mind remained with him until the very end, when he passed away peacefully at home on April 3rd surrounded by his family and loving care providers. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Marilyn Griffith Kastner, his daughters, Teresa Kastner Rando (Kevin) and Maria Kastner Smith (Michael), sons Steve (Angela), Ron (Catherine) and Andrew, his stepchildren Jay Simmons, Jackie Simmons Goad and John Louis Simmons (Holly), as well as his grandchildren, Loren, Matthew, Kelly, Adam Caroline, and Helen, Step Grandchildren; Brittany, Lauren, Ryan, Braden and JT and Great, Great Granddaughter, KK. He was preceded in death by his parents, Gordon and Gertrude Kastner, and his sister Judy Balton, and leaves two sisters, Patricia and Susan along with several nieces, nephews and close friends of many years.
Kastner was retired and actively involved in several local parishes, has been in the St. Anne's Men's Prayer group and often prayed with intensity. He was a veteran of the Army, an inductee of the Hernando, Desoto Baseball Hall of Fame, frequently enjoyed televised basketball and baseball games, particularly the Memphis Tigers and Grizzlies. Memorial contributions may be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
His legacy shines brightly in his family.
