August 25, 1938 – January 15, 2026
Vernal (Vern) Gale Koestler, 87, of Burt, lowa, went home to be with the Lord Jesus Christ on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City, Iowa. Funeral Arrangements are with Lentz Funeral Home, Burt, lowa. Funeral Service will be 11:00 AM on Friday, January 23, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Burt. Visitation will begin at 9:30 AM and continue until the time of service at the church. Burial will take place at the Burt Township Cemetery. Memorials suggested to St. John’s Lutheran Church and the Lion’s Club.
Vernal was born on August 25, 1938, at the Algona General Hospital, as the first-born son of George C. Koestler Jr. and Florence V. (Lovstad) Koestler of Burt, lowa. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Burt, raised on the family farm, and educated in the Burt Community School and graduated in the class of 1956.
Vern’s professional training began in 1956 as a tool and die apprentice for Globe Imperial Inc. in Rockford, Illinois. Tech school at Northwestern Radio & TV and extended Army education as an electronic technician. This began an extensive 53-year career in 25 states in electronics, supervision and management being employed by major corporations to include Burroughs Corp., Ultronic Systems, Booth Newspapers, Chicago Tribune, and Allied Van Lines. This career included moving 42 times and with a smile he vividly remembered the pleasures of traveling and dining out at the company’s expense, great golf courses, every home in every location and the lifelong friends he met along the way.
In 1966 while in St Louis, he met and later married Phyllis Phalmann (later divorced) and became a father to two daughters. At his class reunion in 1996 he renewed his friendship with classmate Joan Krull, and they were later married and resided in Naperville, IL where Vern owned and operated his own Home Improvements business.
They moved to Burt in 1998, and Vern was employed at a lumberyard doing sales and CAD design where he first retired in 2003. Then he helped co-manage Stateline Lumber Yard until it was sold and retired in 2009.
Vern also volunteered in community supervisory roles for St John’s Lutheran Church, Thrivent Financial County Board, Burt Lion’s Club, Kossuth County Economy Development Board and Chips off the Old Block. His longtime interest with computers and history leads him to be a resource to creating databases of information for Burt’s All School Reunion, St John’s Lutheran Church Centennial and the Lions Club Annual Birthday Calendar and Family Reunions. He was a member of the Lone Rock American Legion.
Vern enjoyed his family, grandchildren, camping, working in his wood shop, and keeping in touch with old friends.
Vern is survived by his daughters, Gwendolyn (Mark) Sreniaski, Plainfield, Illinois; Graceanne (William) Krause, Elgin Illinois; grandchildren, Lucas and Lauren Sreniaski, Plainfield, Illinois; Andrew and Daniel Pietraszewski, Elgin, Illinois; step children; Lisa (Greg) Blair, West Bend, lowa; Brian Wichtendahl, Algona, lowa; Nancy Bleuer, West Bend, lowa; and Kris Banwart, lowa City, lowa; brother, Jerry (Betty) Koestler, Burt, lowa; sister, Victoria (Eldon) Koestler Meyer, Burt, lowa; nieces and nephews; and partner, Betty Monaghan of Burt, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his parents; George (1989) and Florence (2014) Koestler, and wife, Joan (Krull) Koestler (2025).
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