Karin Beve Kastetter

December 4, 1945 - September 24, 2009
Karin Beve Kastetter

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Karin Louise BÈve LaBruce Kastetter of Hendersonville, NC, passed away on September 24, 2009, after a six-year battle with breast cancer.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Carl-Eric and Ludmila (Mimi) Koshkin BÈve, Karin celebrated her Swedish-Russian heritage. Upon her graduation from high school in Baltimore, Karin spent two years studying at the University of Stockholm, learning and maintaining a fluency in Swedish which served her throughout her life.

For seventeen years, Karin was the wife of a prominent Charleston, SC, physician, starting a young family and serving on the boards of a number of charitable organizations, most notably on the state and national boards of the American Cancer Society and the American Medical Association Auxiliary.

In 1984, she married Jim and turned her charitable avocations into a professional career in non-profit work. First, she worked alongside Jim in administration in independent boarding schools, and later shifted her efforts to fundraising in continuing care retirement communities.

After serving as the Director of Development and Community Relations at Rappahannock-Westminster Canterbury Retirement Community in Kilmarnock, VA, for six years, she came to Deerfield in 1996 as its first, and so far only, Development and Community Relations Director. Karinís initial development drive was in support multiple capital campaign projects that complimented the $74 million expansion from 1997 to its culmination in 2001 that saw the campus grow exponentially and become one of the premier continuing care retirement communities in the Southeast. This included major refurbishments of the Timson House and St.Giles Chapel as well as the development of a new state of the art aquatic center.

Karinís work at Deerfield allowed her to become active in many projects of the Episcopal Churchís Diocese of Western North Carolina, particularly in the establishment of the Lake Logan Episcopal Center, upon whose board she sat at the time of her passing. She also served in multiple officer positions of the Asheville-Biltmore Rotary Club including serving as the clubs President.

Surviving Karin are her adoring husband Jim, of Hendersonville; daughters Kristin Nicole LaBruce of Charleston, SC and Natasha Helene LaBruce of Charlotte, NC; great-granddaughter Nicole LaBruce of Charleston, SC; and; Karinís brother Carl-Eric BÈve, Jr., of Baltimore, and a number of cousins in her fatherís native Sweden.

A memorial service will be held at Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community at 4 PM Thursday, October 8, 2009. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Communityís Residency Fund at 1618 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC, 28803, or the Lake Logan Episcopal Conference Center Debt Reduction Fund, at 154 Suncrest Mill Road, Canton, NC 28716.


Memorial

Thursday, October 8, 2009
12:00 AM

Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community - Directions
1617 Hendersonville Road
Asheville, NC 28803

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  • September 28, 2009
    Lesa Mason-Watkins says:
    Karin is as unique as her name. I cannot put into words my admiration for Karin. She stood proud and stong where most would have surrendered. May Karin always be remembered as Faithful, Loyal and True to Course. My prayers and thoughts are with her family. She IS truly missed and will ALWAYS be remembered as a True Lady and a Steady Rock.j

  • October 12, 2009
    Matt Matteson says:
    Jim: Please accept my deepest sympathy to you and your family.

  • October 07, 2009
    Richard&Joyce Crandall says:
    Karin was such a strong brave person. She was smiling and uplifting whenever we saw her. We are so sorry Jim.

  • October 06, 2009
    Eva Ritchey says:
    I believe our hope is sure and she has crossed over into eternity waiting for you. You were her friend and she is your friend still. With greatest concern for you, eva

  • October 02, 2009
    Pati Roesler says:
    Thinking of you and wishing you... quiet times when you're feeling overwhelmed, peaceful feelings in the days ahead and the soothing comfort of those who care... I am so sorry for your loss...