School mourns loss of Los Banos teacher killed in accident

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A Los Banos teacher who was killed while driving to work Monday was remembered by students and teachers Thursday.

It was an emotional day for student Amanda Ramirez as she grieves the loss of her 6th grade teacher Louise Kaster, a Newman woman who was killed in a car crash Monday morning.

"She was like family," Ramirez said. "It's really hard losing her."

California Highway Patrol investigators say Kaster was driving north on Ingomar when a car drifted into the southbound lane, hitting her head on. Glass and skid marks still mark the area where the crash happened.

But on Thursday, the day before spring break, students and teachers at Lorena Falasco Elementary gathered outside holding balloons and wearing green and yellow to remember the woman whose lifelong dream was to teach.

"We cared for her so much," Kaster's coworker Jennifer Sotelo said. "Kids loved her, all of the other kids loved her, she was just a sweet, sweet lady."

Principal Jane Brittell says she knew the moment she interviewed Kaster she would be an excellent addition to the team.

"She was living her dream and she let everyone know that she loved what she was doing," Brittell said.

Parents like Tina Ramirez said she's going to miss the simple things Kaster would go out of her way to do.

"She would come out here and let the parents know your student was working extra hard," Ramirez remembered.

And those students wrote letters to give to Mrs. Kaster's family, handing them over just before releasing the balloons to celebrate her life.

"The one place she wanted to go was Italy," Ramirez said. "So, I guess now she's flying there."