Aleatha Vera Kirstein

Fairview - Aleatha Vera Kirstein, 100, died December 21, 2001 at Fleshers Fairview Health Care. She was born in (Emma Township) Asheville, NC to Nathan and Hester Crawford, March 5, 1901. Her father was killed in a railroading accident in 1905, necessitating her living in orphanages until 1911 when she was adopted by John and Annahs Garren of Fairview, NC. Her surviving brothers and sisters are Lucille Cross of Aquone, NC, Iredell Bell of Cedar Rapids, IA, James Lewis Barnes of Knoxville, TN, Ethel Metcalf, Lottie Pace, and Bertha Gaddy all of Asheville. Her suviving children are John A. Kirstein of Birmingham, AL, and James F. Kirstein of DeLand, FL. She has five grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. Aleatha graduated from Fairview High School in 1917 and Asheville Normal where she became a certified public school teacher in 1919. She taught at Hunters Bridge, NC, Pleasant Grove, near Fairview, and at Edneyville in Henderson County. Most of her teaching was to seven grades in one room in a day when truancy was prevalent. Aleatha married Martin Luther Kirstein of Chestnut Hill, NC in February, 1921 and taught school to enable him to attend Fruitland Baptist Institute where he graduated in 1926. Her sons, John and James, were born in 1925 and 1930 respectively, and she retired from teaching to devote her life to her husband and children. Aleatha and Luther fostered a daughter, Elsie Moore, in 1933. Aleatha served faithfully as a pastors wife for over 45 years as Luther served 20 tenures in eleven churches in the counties of Buncombe, Henderson, and Transylvania. Luther, a bi-vocational pastor, was also in demand as an evangelist, a commitment requiring his absence from home each evening for around 300 days a year. Aleatha returned to work during and after WW II in order to provide college and seminary educations for her sons. After Luthers death, October 4, 1980, she resided alone at 62 Westgate Road until moving to Fleshers Health Care Center in 1996. Aleatha considerded her family her best and highest accomplishment on earth and was extremely proud of her two sons who became ministers. She trusted Jesus as her Savior at age 11 and served Him faithfully all her life. Her own gifts were an indomitable but sweet spirit. She never quit anything that mattered. Her own sister, Lottie, once described her, saying, she was just like her mother - a smart, strong-willed mountain woman, and tough as they come. Her family will receive visitors at Anders-Rice Funeral Home Thursday from 7 to 8:30 P.M.. A service of remembrance will be conducted by Rev. John Tiller at Anders-Rice Friday at 2:00 PM, with interment at Forest lawn Cemetery, Enka, immediately following. Memorial gifts may be made to Fleshers Employee Fund, 3016 Cane Creek Road, Fairview, NC 28730.