James David “JD” Kasinger, Sr., 83, of Michigan City, Ind., passed away Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, at Northwest Health – LaPorte surrounded by his somewhat dysfunctional family.
He was born Aug. 15, 1937, in Truman, Ark., to Elmer and Freddie Louise (Perkins) Kasinger. He was the oldest of four children, the others being Elmer C. (Peggy) Kasinger, Jr., Anna Louise Hicks and Doris Ellouise (Joe) Silakowski.
On Dec. 25, 1956, JD married Linda Lou (Keeler). Together they had four children: Delona (Roger) Beadles, Geta (Ernest) Thomas of Arkansas, James “Casey” (Clessie) Kasinger, Jr., and Elmer “Buddy” (Norma) Kasinger.
JD was the official proud “Papa” of 10 grandchildren, but most of the county also called him Papa. He always connected with his grandchildren and asked lots of nosy questions of every one of them. He knew, and had good relationships with, his 20 great-grandchildren.
Anyone who knew JD would not want to pull his finger, never offer him a potato with skin on it, or heaven forbid, a bowl of pasta. It was always amusing to have someone offer him a Coke because without fail he would adamantly claim he’d “rather suck on an exhaust pipe than drink a Coke!” He was a Pepsi man to the end.
From a young age, he had a love of cars (especially Volkswagen Bugs from the ’60s), motorcycles and garages. He always wanted to learn how to fly so in 1954 he joined the U.S. Air Force. He never got the chance to fly a plane in the military, but boy, did he have a gross medic story that he told anyone who would listen! Later he pursued his pilot’s license at the Joe Phillips airport, where he had an interesting late-night run-in with Bill Haley and his Comets over the FM radio that nearly made him take an impromptu skydiving trip. In 1981 at the age of 44 years old, he was tricked into joining the Army National Guard with his son, Casey. Casey soon went Active Duty Army, but JD stayed in The Guard until 1985.
JD was proud to be a member of the Midwest Operating Engineers Union and could carry on long conversations about bulldozers and payloaders. And if you had an hour or two, he had lots of stories about his 41 years at the mills.
JD was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Linda, sister Anna Louise Hicks, sister-in-law Peggy Kasinger, his son and best friend Casey, his grandson Jason Beadles, and his two great-grandchildren Ryan and Elizabeth Beadles.
Because his children were exposed to COVID-19 during his illness, a private family service will be officiated by his former pastor, Daniel McDonald. Interment will be at Greenwood Cemetery, Michigan City.
In lieu of flowers, please give generously to one of these organizations:
- First Church of the Nazarene (which JD attended and supported during his healthier years), 2167 W. Ash St., La Porte, Ind. 46350; https://tinyurl.com/JDforFirstChurchoftheNazarene
- St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital (where his daughter Geta works), https://tinyurl.com/JDforStJude. Please select the “dedicate my donation” box and make the donation for J.D. Kasinger.
- Epilepsy Foundation Indiana, 1100 W. 42nd St., Ste 140, Indianapolis, Ind. 46208-3386, in honor of his granddaughter Sara, https://tinyurl.com/JDforEpilepsy
Messages of condolence may be posted below on WNLP.