Graham Charles Kersten, Sr.
What do you remember about Graham? Share your stories and photos here, and invite others to come share their memories.
Graham Charles Kersten Sr., 82, of Lyford, Texas and more recently Cedar Park, Texas passed away on January 6, 2020 in Cedar Park.
He was born November 13, 1937 to Edward and Thelma Kersten at their home in Houston, Texas. He was the youngest of six children and grew up with three brothers and two sisters. Graham attended Lutheran schools his entire childhood graduating from Houston Lutheran High School in 1955.
Graham attended Texas Lutheran College in Seguin, Texas where he met the love of his life and best friend, Carolyn Vassberg, in September 1959. The two were married on August 12, 1961 and resided in Houston, Texas. On July 3, 1962 they welcomed son Graham Charles Kersten, Jr. In 1964 he moved his family to Lyford, Texas where the love of his life was born and raised. August 12, 1965, they completed their family when daughter Sharon Lynn was born.
Graham centered his life around Jesus Christ and his family. There was nothing more important to him than fulfilling his life as a Christian, husband, father, and grandfather. He created a home filled with love, laughter and togetherness placing his family before himself always. As his family grew adding five grandchildren, he continued to share and spread his love among his grandchildren creating an environment where they always looked forward to time spent with Granddaddy.
Graham was an avid athlete all his life. He was on the 1950 Little League baseball team that won the World Series in Williamsport, PA. In high school and college he played football, basketball and baseball. He also played recreational tennis, volleyball, and golf after his college years. Golf became his favorite sport in his retirement years when he would play several times a week with his friends until ALS took over his ability to stand.
Graham was very involved in his community serving on Lyford City Council, Bethel Lutheran Church Council, and the Willacy County Hospital Board just to name a few. He also sang in the church choir, served as usher and was also the Luther League sponsor for a number of years. Graham worked at Vassberg Implement Company with his father-in-law and later became the Lyford Gin Co-op manager until he retired.
Graham is survived by his wife and best friend, Carolyn, son Charles and daughter Sharon (Randall), grandchildren Randi Hernandez Schmidt-Tophoff (Pablo), Nicholas Andrade (Danielle), Joshua Andrade, Robert Revisore, and Cody Kersten (Rylee), three great grandchildren, Frances Hernandez Schmidt-Tophoff, Avery Graham Andrade, and Winn Hernandez Schmidt-Tophoff, sister Ethel Keys (James), sister-in-law Juanita Kersten, brother-in-law Jerry Vassberg (Lew), sister-in-law Nadine Branham (James) and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Thelma Kersten, parents-in-law Clarence and Elsie Vassberg, brothers Alan, Edward (Kathy), and John (Wilma), sister Virginia (Jinker) and spouse Forest, and nephews Alan Kersten, Bill Flippen, and Timothy Kersten.
Services were held on Thursday, January 09, 2020 at Palm Valley Lutheran Church at 3PM in Round Rock, Texas. Burial was held at Palm Valley Cemetery at the conclusion of services.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to www.alstexas.org/donate or via mail to 4939 De Zavala Suite 105, San Antonio, TX 78249.