Casto, Dennis D. (Dr.)

Passed: 1932-01-18

Age: 64

Source: Jackson Herald

Death Notice: 1932-01-18

Obituary Date:

Information: DR. D. D. CASTO DIED MONDAY - Dr. Dennis D. Casto, for many years a prominent physician of Ripley, passed away at his home in Church street early Monday morning.  He had been in declining health for more than a year, but had only been confined to his home a few weeks before the end came.  Besides being a successful physician he was an outstanding churchman, a splendid business man, and was for many years active in fraternal and civic affairs.  Although handicapped through life, due to the loss of one arm in a cane mill while a mere youth, he not only was a leading physician but excelled in any undertaking he went about to do.      Dr. Casto was the son of Dr. J. C. Casto and Sarah Bradley Casto, who were early settlers at Staats Mill.  His father was one of the very first pioneer physicians in this part of the state.  The family is a unique one for the reason that all of its male members have becom physicians that have been prominent and successful in their profession.  The grand-father of Dr. Casto was Ex-Sheriff George Casto, who came here as a pioneer from near Jane Lew, Harrison county, settling at Staats Mill in 1811.  He was a prominent minister of the Methodist Protestant church, a member of the first county court of Jackson county in which capacity he served for more than a quarter of a century, was elected and served as the second sheriff of this county and was the first person in the new county who was licensed to perform the rites of matrimony for the early pioneers in that day.      Dr. Dennis D. Casto was born at Staats Mill on August 3, 1867, and departed this life January 18, 1932, being sixty-four years, five months and fifteen days old at the time of his death.  He was united in marriage to Alice Edna Keenan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Keenan, on August 1, 1891.  She preceded him to the better world some four years ago.  Mrs. O. R. Nutter of Akron, Ohio, a foster daughter who has been with Dr. Casto caring for him during the past three weeks, is the surviving member of the immediate family.  Two of his sisters have preceded him, they being Mrs. B. F. Wendell and Mrs. Robert Rankin.  The surviving brothers and sister  are Dr. V. L. Casto of Ripley, Dr. H. W. Casto of Ravenswwod and Mrs. C. M. Booth of Clendenin.      In early life Dr. Casto was affiliated with the Methodist Protestant church but after his marriage, both he and his wife united with the Ripley United Brethren church and were from the beginning active in its work and were among its most outstanding communicants until their deaths.  Dr. Casto was the oldest member of the local church at his death and had held almost every official position in the church during these years, being teacher of the men's Bible class and a member of the parsonage board of trustees at the time of his death.  He was considered a splendid Bible student, and was a staunch supporter of the church.      He was an active member of Ripley Lodge No. 30 Independent Order of Odd Fellows for more than thirty years, during a great amount of the time serving as secretary of the local lodge which he for several years represented at the state grand lodge of that order.  He was also a member of Paradise Rebekah Lodge of Ripley. At the time the free school system was being firmly established in this state, Dr. Casto taught six terms of school and during his teaching experience he was a member of the county board of examiners when Attorney W. H. Rardin, now of Beckley, was county superintendent of schools of Jackson county.  Afterwards he attended a business college at Delaware, Ohio, from which he graduated in 1888.  He then entered the medical college of the University of Louisville, Ky., from which he graduated with honors in 1891, coming to Ripley where he has followed the practice of his chosen profession among a large clientele in a very successful way.  During this time he served as a member of the United States pension board, was a member of the local board of education, and several times a member of the town council of Ripley, rendering a valuable service in each capacity.  Besides his interest in all these things he found time to administer to the poor not only along the line of his profession but with his means and many times this was done by him when many did not know of his work in this worthy direction.  During the World war he was given an appointment to one of the government hospitals but after several days consideration declined the appointment.        In the presence of a large concourse of friends, amidst a splendid floral tribute from many of them, his body was borne from the home to the United Brethren church at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday where the funeral services were conducted by his pastor, Rev. K. J. Scott, assisted by Rev. O. H. Carder.  The Odd Fellows had charge of the service at the cemetery.  The pall bearers were:  T. Clayton Parsons, George N. Casto, Dr. G. W. Simmons, Dr. J. Howard Smith, Dr. E. D. Staats and Dr. T. E. Rymer.  Honary pallbearers were C. O. Shinn, J. L. Rhodes, H. M. Casto .....S. B. Sayre.