Jerome Thomas Casler, Jr.

On October 3, 2006, our beloved father, Jerome Thomas Casler, Jr., went Home to be with His Lord and Savior. Born October 13, 1921, near Mooringsport, Louisiana, Jerome was the son of Jerome Thomas Casler, Sr. and Nellie Stephenson Casler. He passed away peacefully in Weatherford, Texas, where he lived for 48 years. Funeral service:  11:00 am, Saturday, October 7, 2006, at Calvary United Methodist Church, 210 Garner Road, Weatherford,Texas.Interment:  Memory Gardens on the Mineral Wells Highway.Visitation:  Friday, October 6 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm at the Galbreath-Pickard Funeral Home, and at the church one hour before the service.J. T., as he was known to family and friends, grew up during the Great Depression in the Texas Panhandle communities of Flagg, Arney, and Dimmit. At the age of ten, he read the entire set of the Books of Knowledge, which began his lifelong quest for knowledge. His passion for learning, and his admonition to “get an education”, had a great influence on his whole family. After graduating from Dimmitt High School, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. When his father died a year later, J. T., then 18 years old, became the leader and provider for his mother and eight brothers and sisters. J. T. soon journeyed to Baltimore, Maryland, where he was trained to be a First-Class Ship-fitter, and also met his future wife, Alpha Bowman. Many friends called him “Tex” or “Mr. Texas”. As the provider for his family, J. T. had been exempted from the draft, however, in 1944, he was finally able to take his place among the other brave soldiers of the United States Army during World War II. He married Alpha Bowman on Oct. 19, 1944, two weeks before he was shipped overseas to Europe for two years. J. T. became a soldier in the 7th Army, 44th Division Infantry, 324th Infantry Regiment, assigned to 3rd Battalion, Headquarters C, A&P (Ammunition & Pioneer) Platoon. As the automatic rifleman for his unit, he carried a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) and became ‘point man’, taking the lead in many dangerous situations. He also had the responsibility of carrying two Bangalore torpedoes (portable explosives), and thus acquired a new nickname, “Bangalore”. He served his country with honor and courage in Italy, France and Germany, and received his honorable discharge in 1946. Back in civilian life, J. T. pursued a variety of entrepreneurial endeavors, and attended college at TCU before going to work for General Dynamics Corporation in Fort Worth, Texas. Because of his intelligence and perseverance, he moved from working on the “line”, to become tech writer, tech editor, and finally Senior Engineer. During his time at GD he worked on the B-52 Bomber, B-58 Bomber, F-111, and F-16, among others. He also became the writer and director of promotional videos for the Air Force and Army, writing , directing, and producing videos for the maintenance of the F-16. After 35 years of service, J. T. retired from General Dynamics in 1985. Beginning in 1971, he and his wife, Alpha, also owned and operated Westside Washateria in Weatherford, Texas, which is still family owned and operated today. During his life, J. T. was a strong Christian and a charter member of Calvary United Methodist Church, where he taught Sunday School for 47 years, was a lay leader, and Chairman of the Board. His “Story of the Christmas Tree” was an annual tradition that continued until he was 83 years old. He enjoyed his membership in the Great Books Society, and was accepted into The International Order of MENSA, an organization recognizing the top 2% of world intelligence. He loved to read, to laugh, and to work on his farm. He enjoyed reading the Sunday paper comics aloud to his family, and also loved to read aloud, in his deep gravelly voice, his own poems as well as classic fiery poetry such as “Horatius at the Bridge”, “Invictus”, and “The Highwayman”. He was a natural born teacher, wordsmith, and true Storyteller. He was a punster extraordinaire and everyone loved his jokes and puns. His children will fondly remember his “bedtime stories”, and especially the character of J. Bolivar Thudd, (who didn’t believe in fairies.) Telling stories about the ‘old days’ was a passion of J.T.’s. His family laughed and cried over tales from his Army days, and life during the Great Depression. In the last year of his life, J. T. wrote his memoirs of the time he spent in the Army during World War II, which he self-published as HEART OF A RIFLEMAN. He is survived by his three daughters, Jewell Casler Dean (Tommy) of Boise, Idaho; Cassie Casler Measures of Weatherford, Texas; Treasa Casler Mallory (Bill) of Wimberley, Texas; grandchildren: Jason Dean (LaNea); Julie Dean O’Brien (Daniel) of Boise, Idaho; Erin Mallory Burns (Blake) and Jordan Mallory of Wimberley; Heather Mallory Davis (Thomas) of San Marcos; Margaret Measures of Weatherford; great-grandchildren: Callie, Cody, and Corban Dean; Jacob, Jeffrey and Danny O’Brien, all of Boise, Idaho; and Mackenzie Burns of Wimberley. He is also survived by his brothers Spencer, Burleigh, Travis (Diane), and Velton (Murle) Casler; his sister, Myrna Casler Choate (W.D.), his brother-in-law, (like a brother) Loran Thomas; his former wife, Marceline Perry, and numerous nephews, nieces, and cousins. He is preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Alpha Mae Bowman Casler, his mother and father, his brothers, Lynn and Boyce Casler, and his sister, Faye Casler Thomas.