Paul John Kansteiner

Paul John Kansteiner, affectionately known to friends and family as “Beaver,” “Jack,” or “Pop Pop” passed away peacefully on October 6, 2026, at Agrace Hospice House in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, following a courageous battle with cancer. He was 80 years old, just one week shy of his 81st birthday.

Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Paul John Kansteiner Sr. and Janice Maitland Kansteiner (Johnson), Paul graduated from Nicolet High School in 1964 before attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Coming of age in the 1960s, he became deeply involved in the anti-war movement during the Vietnam War, cultivating a lifelong commitment to peace, community, and social justice. Madison would ultimately become the backdrop for much of his vibrant life.

Known throughout the community as the local “Tile Guy,” Paul was a master tradesman whose hardworking nature and meticulous eye for detail spanned over four decades. After starting out in construction and running a painting business in the 1980s, he co-founded K&A Tile—proudly named after his two daughters—before later operating Accurate Tile. He specialized in beautiful, custom-made projects, only reluctantly retiring at the age of 77 in 2023.

Beyond his trade, Paul was a man of diverse passions, technical skill, and deep curiosity. He was a dedicated amateur ham radio operator, a hobby that turned heroic when he utilized his radio equipment to help save a capsized ship at sea. In his younger years, he was also involved with the Mifflin Street Co-op and the Baha’i community. He was a lifelong learner who loved anthropology documentaries, photography, film, and classical art. An avid outdoorsman, he found joy hiking, biking, kayaking, and camping.

Paul possessed a fun-loving, eccentric spirit and a heart built for acts of service. He was an expert at sustainable living, famously knowing how to stretch a budget like no one else. Late in life, he was a fixture at Saint Vincent Dig ’n Save and loved the thrill of the hunt, constantly thrifting for analog electronics, unique artwork, and gifts for his children and grandchildren. More than anything, Paul was generous. He was always the first to stop and pick up a hitchhiker, fix a broken-down car on the side of the road, or simply "shoot the shit" with anyone.

His family was his greatest pride. He was a fiercely protective father who watched both of his daughters grow up to earn their Master’s degrees. He never missed a Brazilian or West African drumming performance or a chance to help in the garden or classroom of his daughters. He built beautiful furniture that his family used for decades, and in recent years, loved passing his mechanical skills down to his grandson by building wooden trucks and boats together in the shop.

Paul is survived by his loving daughters, Kiersten Julia McCoy (Kai Deon) and Avery Reven Kowalke (Derek Sean); his cherished grandchildren, Dellany Onyango, Jakob McCoy, and Vera McCoy; and an eagerly anticipated grandchild, "Baby Kowalke," due in November 2026. He is further survived by his sisters, Karen Cleaver and Meryl Olson, as well as his niece, Christin Cleaver. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Janice Kansteiner.

Paul’s legacy lives on in the lives he saved, the custom tile spaces he crafted, and the family he loved so deeply. He will be profoundly missed.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring of 2027. Date and location will be announced at a later time.