Obituary for Evelyn Casto

Evelyn Juanita Renick Buck Casto

(April 1, 1924 – April 1, 2016)

Evelyn J. Renick Buck Casto died April 1, 2016 on her 92nd birthday. She was born on April 1, 1924 in Shidler, Ok to Leslie "Jack" Renick and Juanita Brown Renick. She was active in many aspects of the school life and graduated in 1924. During that time she was the drum major of the band and had also established her own dance studio.

As a young woman, she moved to Ponca City and started to work during WWII. She met Henry E. Buck while he was home on leave. There were married in August of 1945 in Miami, FL at the end of the war and returned to Ponca City to begin their family.

She worked a the Ponca City News and later went to work for the Ponca City School system where she worked with Bob Westmoreland in developing local educational television to be utilized throughout the system. She worked for the school system until her retirement. She married William J. Casto in September of 1972.

Evelyn had many interests and was a very out going person who enjoyed many friendships. She was an active communicant of Grace Episcopal Church serving in many capacities. For over 25 years she taught a ballroom dance and etiquette course to many 8th grade students of this area as a fund raiser for the Women of Grace Church. She also held several adult dance classes during these years.

She was an accomplished seamstress and made most of her own clothes and enjoyed quilting. She enjoyed many other interests in the arts, music, dance, and theater. She loved to travel and made several international trips as well as extensive travels throughout the United States. She liked being outside and enjoying nature, liked to camp, hike, work in her yard, water ski and fish. She enjoyed animals, especially her faithful companion Shadow and her two cats. Family gatherings were always important to her and you would never leave her house hungry and more than likely have leftovers to take with you.

She enjoyed costume parties and dressing up as various characters, one being a bag lady. She helped develop this character to be used by the Poncan Theatre during the annual Taste and Tasteless fund raiser. She was a part of the original "bag ladies" cast and served for many years.

Many people touched the life of Evelyn as she struggled with Alzheimer’s. The family wishes to thank especially long time neighbor Maretta Westberg who was such a good friend and helped her to stay in her home for many years, the staff of Via Christi Village, Dr. John Holden and Hospice of North Central Oklahoma.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Mary Virginia Owen and her husband.

She is survived by her two sons, Joe D. Buck and wife Gayla, of Terre Haute, IN and Larry E. Buck and wife Susan of Ponca City, five grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at a later date at Grace Episcopal Church, Ponca City.

Donations may be made in her honor to Grace Episcopal Church, 109 N. 13th St., Ponca City, OK 74601 or to Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, 825 NE 13th ST., Oklahoma City, OK 73104 for Alzheimer’s research.

Source: Trout Funeral Home