Astor (Asta) V Kane

Asta passed into Eternal Life January 20, 2020 at WaltonWood Ashburn Assisted living facility with her loving family by her side.

Asta was born November 19, 1927 to August and Liisa Kelder in Jamaica, New York.  She was preceded in death by her Father in 1939 and her Mother in 1978.

She is survived by John, her loving Husband of 59 years, her children, Lisa (Douglas) Kelly of Leesburg and John Timothy Kane of Falls Church and by her grandchildren Jack Kelly of Los Angeles, CA, Jason Kelly of Arlington, VA, Justin Kelly of Leesburg, VA and Clay Curtis Kane of Walnut Creek, CA.  She is also survived by a cousin, Dr Alan Loon of St Catharine's, Ontario, Canada.

Asta graduated from NYC public schools and attended Queens College, Long Island New York.  She worked in the Library of The American Bankers' Association Headquarters in Manhattan, NY and during that time was an Officer in the Special Library Association Chapter in NYC.

In the mid 1950s her adventurous spirit called and she went to Japan as a Librarian for the US Army Special Services.  Among her assignments were Tokyo, Osaka, Mount Fuji and Okinawa.  Her favorite duty was taking a 2 ½ ton Army truck equipped as a bookmobile to bring books to Service Men at remote sites.

It was on Okinawa where she met John who was there serving with the American Red Cross.  They were married there July 1, 1960 and enjoyed a wonderful happy life for 59 years till Asta's death.  They returned to the US and lived in Fort Worth, TX and Altus, OK till moving to Virginia in 1962.

Asta returned to work in 1965 at the National Technical and Information Service of the US Department of Commerce in Springfield, VA from which she retired in 1988 as a Branch Chief.  She was particularly proud of being listed as the Editor of their Corporate Author Index.   It didn't take long till she was bored so she began a part-time job with the Fairfax County School System where she scanned local news media for articles of interest to the Superintendent and his staff.

When John semi-retired as a practicing CPA in Alexandria, VA, Asta retired again and they left Fairfax and moved to the River Creek community outside Leesburg, VA. in December 1999.  Asta enjoyed traveling.  Her favorite was London but she enjoyed their trips to Australia, New Zealand, motor sailing yachts to the Mediterranean, Aegean, Panama, Costa Rica and Provence.  One highlight was the Baltic and Estonia, the birthplace of her parents.

She was a member of the Ladies Board of Loudoun Hospital and spent many volunteer hours in the Hospital Gift Shop and The Twice is Nice Thrift store.  She took care of and priced purses and bags and for many years ran the "Bags and Hats" section of the annual Ladies Board Rummage sale.

She was an expert at cross-stitch and won awards for her work.  She was generous in giving some of these to people who received them with gratitude.  Later she spent many happy hours doing adult coloring and was always an avid reader.

Friends will gather from 6:00pm to 7:00pm with the recitation of a Holy Rosery to follow. A Mass of Christian burial on Saturday January, at 2:00pm at Saint John the Apostle Catholic Church.  A private interment to follow at a later date. In Lieu of flowers donations to Saint John the Apostle Catholic Church