Casello, William C.
Ann Arbor, MI

Bill Casello died peacefully at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital on January 8,
2006, after a five month struggle with cancer.  He is survived by his wife
of 49 years, Claudette (Quintal), son William Christopher Casello and
daughter-in-law Elaine (Stiglich) of Nashville, TN, his daughter Sarah
Elizabeth Casello-Rees and son-in-law James Rees of Ann Arbor, and by his
beloved four year old grandson Donovan James Rees.  He is also survived by
his brother Ezra Casello of Seattle, WA and several nieces and nephews and a
cousin.  His father Joseph Casello, his mother Vera (Crandall) and a brother
Gordon Casello preceded him in death.

Bill was born on September 20, 1929 in Port Huron, MI.  He worked in his
father's music store during his high school years and was on the Port Huron
High track team.  He graduated in 1947.  He served in the U.S. Naval Reserve
from 1948 to 1951 and served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1951 to
1953 during the Korean War.

Bill received his BS and MS degrees from the University of Michigan.  He
also studied at the University of Detroit, Colorado College, the University
of California at Berkeley and Michigan State University, often under
National Science Foundation Grants.  He was a lifelong educator with the
gift of inspiring students to learn. His enthusiasm for science and the
environment was boundless.  He began teaching biology and astronomy at Wayne
Memorial High School and helped design the planetarium at John Glenn High
School in Wayne.  He transferred to Slauson Junior High in Ann Arbor in 1963
and moved to Pioneer High, Earthworks and Community High.  He was a director
at Earthworks and the Coordinator of Community Resources at Community where
he also taught science.  His work life included Jackson and Schoolcraft
Colleges, the Lee County Florida Nature Center, and Jackson and Huron Valley
Prisons.  He retired from formal teaching in 1980 and worked as a Washtenaw
County Horticulture Agent for many years.

After retiring from Washtenaw County, he continued working with children at
Apples and Pears Pre-School, Oak Trails Montessori School, the Leslie
Science Center and many other schools and organizations, leading nature
field trips and telling stories.  He led over one thousand field trips.  He
said that his most significant endeavor was a series of Saturday Ann Arbor
Recreation Department programs called the Junior Scientists which he
conducted from 1964 to 1974.  At least two thousand children enrolled in
these classes and many re-enrolled several times.  Parents still refer to
his classes with appreciation.

Bill created over two hundred stories.  He was grateful for the advent of
the personal computer which helped him preserve the stories.  For many
children, his characters will live on with other memories from their
childhood.  He lost his hearing in mid-life and though it hampered his
storytelling, somehow the children never seemed to notice.  He said his life
was rich and full in spite of physical limitations.  To the children he
worked with he was known as 'Old Bill the Storyteller' and 'Mr. Bill'.

In 2004, he served the community by locating emergences of the Seventeen
Year Locust, leading field trips at the sites and giving programs to
interested groups.

He and his wife traveled extensively during his last six years, both around
the world and in the U.S. in their RV.  He always said the best trip was the
last one.

The funeral service will be held on Friday, January 13, at 11:00 AM at
St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 306 North Division St, Ann Arbor.  Burial
will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery.  The family will receive visitors at
Muehlig Funeral Chapel on Thursday from 2-4 and 6-8 and also on Friday
starting at 10:30 at the church.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made
to the Nature Conservancy or the National Wildlife Federation (envelopes
available at Muehlig's).