Cass

I remember seeing Cass after Church one Sunday àt CCC and asked how the search committee he was on was going for finding a new associate pastor. He said we found one that should be good, ànd i said great but he chimed in that she was still somewhat whacked, ànd then proceeded to say they (candidates) were all wacked! Oh I laughed my arse off. Never did I see him without that smile, truly one of kind.

Love you brother!

Cass was always determined to improve. I worked with him through massage treatment and posture exercises, and he brought such commitment- and humor -to every session.
One day, after a session, we both left the treatment room. When I reached my car, I began looking for my phone, but it was nowhere to be found. I went back and searched the room, still with no luck. I rarely lose anything, so I was completely puzzled. Apparently, Cass had accidentally picked up my phone and taken it home! Since I didn't have my phone, I had no way to contact him. Before long, Cass somehow found my house and arrived to return it, accompanied by his incredibly cute dog, Duke. We all had a good laugh about it. After that, at the end of every session, I would hold tightly to my phone and joke that I had to make sure Cass didn't "steal" it again.
We shared so many laughs and jokes during our sessions. I deeply miss our sessions, his determination, his wonderful sense of humor, and seeing sweet Duke by his side. I feel very fortunate to have known him.

Cass’ passions were contagious in every way, but some that stand out in my mind were the cross section of his loves for people, hospitality, and wine. I was in my mid twenties and staying at the Casserly’s house for a few days with some friends, and as always the wine was generously flowing at dinner. Unlike drinking at other people’s homes however, Cass would curate the wine selection like it was a Michelin star meal (far beyond the taste of my just-out-of-college palette), where each bottle would start with a discussion of what we tasted and smelled, then guiding us through all the notes that were actually there thanks to his knowledge, going into the history of the grape or region or country the wine was from, and on and on until a simple pour of Zinfandel turned into a 30 minute discussion of Joseph Campbell’s comparative mythology with a few too many inappropriate jokes thrown in. For many a broke, uncultured twenty year old, this should be an intimidating scenario - but in the hands of Cass, it was pure inspiration, comedy, and joy.

On the last dinner of this trip, Cass went around the table and asked us each what our favorite wine was from the past few days. As we desperately tried to remember which ones stood out to us with our limited sommelier vocabulary (ummm…the white one??), Cass listened intently, helping us remember those moments we couldn’t quite put a finger on.

Then it was the next morning and time to leave. Cass had already left for work, but sitting on the counter were four bottles of wine - each one with one of our names in front of it, each one being the one we said was our favorite at dinner the night before.

It almost feels like it’s fake. You expect experiences like this on a nice vacation or a fancy meal out, but can a real person actually exist with this much genuine hospitality and care for his friends and family in every day life? Cass showed me that it’s the bar we should all strive for, and to do it authentically as who we really are, not just who we hope to be. That’s how he lived his life. He will be a guiding example for me for the rest of mine.