Submitted photo The Castenson family (left to right): Renee, Morgan, Kristi, Dave, Kelsey and Curt. Dave died in a 2015 car accident. Southeast Valley is recognizing him on Friday night by dedicating the scoreboard in his honor.

HARCOURT — The memories are still vivid for Kristi Castenson to this day.

Her husband, Dave, hitting grounders and fly balls, playing catch, and going through batting practice with their four children.

Playing under the lights on the softball field in Harcourt would always turn into late-night family fun.

After Dave Castenson and his mother, Velma Castenson, were killed in a tragic car accident on May 8, 2015, the family had to pick up the pieces. On Friday, they’ll get a chance to embrace the memories and dedicate a scoreboard at the softball field that the Castensons donated in Dave’s honor.

“Once they put the lights in, they were always up there — practicing, playing,” Kristi said. “They would be at that field until late at night.

“After Dave passed away, Curt (the couple’s third child) would take Morgan (now age 17) up there, and they would get to turn the lights on and play like Dave did with the kids.”

Softball and baseball were the family’s first passion. Their oldest daughter Kelsey (Wolfe, now age 30) and Renee (Sedlacek, now 25) both pitched and played infield for then-Southeast Webster-Grand. The sisters also went to play at Simpson College in Indianola.

Curt, 22, also pitched and played infield at Southeast Webster-Grand and Simpson.

“It means the world to us that we can all be there to honor him, considering what he’s done for us and the community,” Curt said. “He never missed a game, and loved supporting and watching us play the game we loved.”

Now, youngest daughter Morgan is on the Southeast Valley softball team. She is taking after her older siblings on the diamond.

“Sports have always been a big part of our lives,” Kristi said. “Dave graduated from Central Webster and went to the state tournament under Jerry Patterson. He was also very active in sports, and was a shortstop in baseball.

“Dave never missed any of the activities the kids were in. He made sure of it.”

The family will gather in Harcourt inside the pitching circle to throw out the honorary first pitch in dedication of their father between the junior varsity and varsity games. The Jaguars face West Central Valley, with JV at 5:30 p.m. and varsity at 7 p.m.

“There will be a lot of emotions,” Kristi said. “Talking to the kids, I know I will get emotional — especially seeing them throw out the first pitch.”

The family also has paid tribute to Dave with a banner on the baseball field in Dayton, and in the gymnasium at the school.

“He just loved working with the kids in our commuinty,” Kristi said. “Having these memories in the activities he loved is the best thing we have.”

The Castensons, who live on a Century Farm in Harcourt, have seen the community rally around her family in good times and bad.

“The community has been fabulous with supporting our kids,'” said Kristi, who is a seventh grade teacher at Southeast Valley and the former Southeast Webster-Grand athletic director. “They have always reached out and checked on us to see how we’re doing. The faculty at the high school has been wonderful for Morgan. All the administrators and teachers have been wonderful.

“When you lose anybody it’s very difficult, so when they lost both their father and grandmother … it was incredibly hard. Everyone has just been wonderful in being there for us. We are so thankful.”