Mr. Max Kaestner passed away on Wednesday afternoon at his home about a mile north of there, after a lingering illness of several months. The cause of death was cancer of the liver and kidneys. The funeral services will be held this Friday afternoon from the family residence, and the interment will be made in the Mountain View cemetery on Ford's Prairie. Rev. H. S. Black, of the Baptist church, will conduct the service.
Mr. Max Kaestner was born in Honstaldt, Meiningen, Germany, December 12, 1851, and was consequently, in his fifty-eighth year at the time of his death. He was educated in the educational institutions of his native land and entered the army as soon as he had reached the required age. He rose to be first lieutenant of the Sileseia Field Artillery. He remained in the army fourteen years. Had he remained in the army he would have been promoted to a captaincy. Mr. Kaestner was married in 1880 in Breslau and he and his wife came to the United States in 1887. They settled in Colorado, coming to Centralia in 1889. They first lived in the south part of town, but later lived on the old Remley place. Several years ago, Mr. Kaestner purchased property north of town. He leaves, besides his wife, one son, Frederic F., known to his friends as "Fritz."
During Mr. Kaestner's residence in this country he turned his attention to dairy farming and was remarkably successful in that line. The Kaestner farm is a model institution and shows the intelligent interest Mr. Kaestner and his son took in everything, down to the smallest detail, in their chosen vocation.
Mr. Max Kaestner was a man whom all admired, and whom his friends and intimate acquaintances loved. He was the soul of honor, and in every transaction of his life, both in business and domestic affairs, he exercised the strictest integrity and honesty. He was quiet and reserved in his manners, but ever ready to lend a helping hand to those who were in need of assistance. He often thought more of his friends' welfare than of his own, but he would at any time sacrifice his own interests to attend calls that his known kindness made frequent. No man ever called on Mr. Kaestner for assistance in vain. Mr. Kaestner's passing away is a loss to the community. His wife and son have the heartfelt sympathy of a large circle of friends. He leaves a sister in Germany.
Source: The Centralia News-Examiner, 21 May 1909, p. 6.
Transcribed by Diana Smith. She has no further information on this individual.
[Editor's note: according to the Washington State Death Records, the wife of Max Kaestner was Anna Jugler, daughter of Frank Carl Jugler. She died on 1 Jun 1948 in Centralia, age 85, and is buried next to Max.]