Paul J. Kaster

Paul John Kaster age 88, of Orono Minnesota, passed away peacefully on January 31, 2026, at Methodist Hospital in Saint Louis Park Mn. Paul was born on May 17, 1937, in Minneapolis, MN. Paul graduated from Orono High School in 1956, the first year Orono had it's own high school. He went on to Dunwoody Institute (now Dunwoody College) on a scholarship. He never knew why he was granted a scholarship. He never knew who his benefactor was.

Upon graduation from Dunwoody in 1959, Paul was hired by IBM and immediately sent to Chicago. He was ideally suited for his new vocation. He was trained in every detail in the first generation of mainframe computers. Paul was assigned the task of being a "CE" or customer engineer. Paul's job was to make sure that all of IBM's major customers in the Chicagoland area were satisfied with the equipment they purchased. He was soon promoted to the position of Regional Designated Specialist and was sent to many of IBM's major clients in the United States and beyond. Paul had the unique ability to explain to top level management the issues with their computers and then get down in the trenches with his fellow engineers and fix things. This sometimes meant he was required to go to IBM manufacturing plants in Poughkeepsie, San Jose and Rochester MN. At times he was out of town for months. He spent many hours withIBM customer executives at Standard Oil, Case IH, General Motors, Snap-on tools, Jostens, IDS, Target and Fingerhut. Paul loved his job.

Paul's first love however was the woman who became his wife of over 60 years, Mary Ellen Mann. Paul's brother Robert introduced the couple. Mary Ellen was a Registered Nurse at the University of Minnesota Hospital and worked with Robert in cardiology. In 1963, Paul and Mary Ellen were married. In 1967 Paul and Mary Ellen returned to Minnesota with a new daughter. They purchased a home on Lake Minnetonka in 1968. There they grew their family with a boy and another girl. Paul and Mary Ellen then purchased land on Lake Minnetonka and built a home where she continues to reside. After 32 years at IBM Paul retired. He could not sit still. Paul could fix anything. He and Mary Ellen got into the "landlord" business. His true second career however was hunting and fishing and being outdoors.

Paul is survived by his spouse Mary Ellen, their children Carrie, John and Laura and brothers William and Stephen and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Fredrick and Martha and siblings Bernard, Alfred, Robert and Gertrude. One of the Good Guys is gone, never to be forgotten. Private services have been held.