Casto, Virgil L. (Dr.)

Passed: 1936-08-06

Age: 72

Source: Jackson Herald

Death Notice:

Obituary Date: 1936-08-14

Information: The many friends of Dr. Virgil L. Casto, a Ripley physician, who died at his home here last Thursday morning, gathered at the Ripley United Brethren church last Saturday afternoon to attend the services being held under the directions of Rev. Fred Slaughter, pastor of the church and a close friend of the family.  Dr. Casto had been confined to his home on account of illness since last December when he fell on the icy pavement between his home and office and fractured his hip.  The injury sapped his strength and he gradually became weaker.  Death had been expected for several days.  The body was taken to the Fairplain cemetery for burial.  The following obituary was read at his funeral and sets out the steps in his career.      Dr. Virgil L. Casto, son of Dr. James C. and Sarah Bradley Casto, was born March 18, 1864 and died August 6, 1936, being 72 years, 4 months and 18 days of age at his death.  He had two brothers and three sisters, all of whom are dead except Dr. Holly W. Casto, of Ravenswood.  His grandfather was Rev. George Casto, one of the earliest white settlers in Jackson county and who founded a home at Staats Mills about the year 1811.  He was married to Mollie A. Skidmore on September 20, 1888 and four children were born to them, of whom two are now living, Dr. Wendell E. Casto and Mrs. W. King Parsons, who both reside in Ripley, and with the widow, at his bedside during his long period of illness, doing what they could to help alleviate his suffering.      Dr. Casto was an outstanding churchman and christian gentleman throughout his life, and exemplified the characteristics of his family in a splendid way.  Rev. George Casto, his grandfather, and Dr. James C. Casto, his father, were both licensed ministers in the Methodist Protestant church.  In early boyhood we find that Dr. Casto, with this excellent home influence, became a Christian and united with the Methodist Protestant church from which he transferred his membership to the Ripley United Brethren church where he had worshiped all these years and took an active and prominent part in its affairs.  During this time he had held every office within the gift of the church and served with distinction.  He was a member of the Board of Trustees that erected the present church building a few years ago and was one of the most liberal contributors on the same, but he most loved his position as the teacher of the Ladies Bible Class of the Sunday school where he served for more than a quarter of a century, always in attendance every Sunday until his recent illness prevented it.  The Ripley United Brethren has received a heavy blow in the death of Dr. Casto, not alone from a financial point of view but more particularly from a standpoint of his christian influence and faithfulness to duty in whatever official position he held.      In early life he attended the one room country school and after completing the elementary subjects he attended summer normal schools and at a very young age was granted a first grade teacher's certificate and taught school for a time.  He took a great interest in the educational work of the county and served on the County Board of Examiners which then licensed teachers.  His father, in addition to being a minister, was a physician of prominence in Jackson, Roane and Kanawha counties and was very successful and so it is natural that his son, Dr. V. L. Casto, turned his attentions to the medical field, attending the medical school at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, from which he graduated with honors with the class of 1887-88.  He later took a post-graduate course in one of the large medical schools in Chicago in 1907.  He at once entered the practice of his profession at Staats Mills and later came to Ripley where death has just ended a career of 48 years for him as a physician in which he was eminently successful and known and loved throughout this part of the state.  Dr. Casto's grandfather, George Casto, was a member of the first county court in Jackson county and one of it's very earliest sheriffs.  In this respect, we find his grandson, Dr. V. L. Casto, following in his footsteps as he was elected and served in the state legislature in 1888-89, as a member of the United States Pension Board for a period of 12 years, as a member of the Ripley Town Council for several years and for many years served as the Town Recorder when a number of the major improvements were made in the town.  He was one of the leaders in urging the erection of our present high school building and new courthouse and in the paving of the streets of the town.     [from the Betty Kessel McIntyre obit collection]