2006, The Ann Arbor News. All Rights Reserved. Reprinted with permission. Storyteller, science teacher Bill Casello dies Educator 'touched so many lives' BY GEOFF LARCOM Thursday, January 12, 2006 News Staff Reporter Bill Casello loved to tell stories, and children loved his tales, laden with vivid characters and fun plot twists. Several weeks ago, before Casello's death, a youngster wrote of enjoying those stories during a recent summer camp at the Leslie Science Center in Ann Arbor. "I think you tell really good stories,'' the child wrote. "They are all so good, I can't chose one. But if I had to choose one, I choose the one about the bear and the frog and the brownies.'' Bears, frogs and brownies were but a few of the elements of a happy life Casello spent working with children. Casello, who taught science to thousands of area students during his long and varied career, died Sunday at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital after a five-month struggle with cancer. He was 76. He was born in Port Huron, graduated from the University of Michigan and became a lifelong educator. His teaching jobs included time at Wayne Memorial and John Glenn High Schools in suburban Detroit, and later Slauson Junior High, Pioneer High, Community High and the former alternative high school Earthworks. In retirement, despite a severe hearing loss, he led numerous field trips and told stories to hundreds of children at places such as the Leslie Science Center and various schools. Jim Rees, Casello's son-in-law, first met him as a young student in the Saturday Junior Scientists programs Casello conducted for the Ann Arbor Recreation Department from 1964 to 1974. Rees, then 8 years old, would visit the Natural History Museum or tromp through the woods next to Pioneer High, or check out the swampy areas on the school property. "He could identify everything,'' said Rees, now a chief technologist at U-M. "He was an inspiration.'' As a teenager, Rees had Casello as a biology teacher at Pioneer, and later, upon returning to Ann Arbor in the 1990s, met his daughter, Sarah, and became Casello's son-in-law. Kirsten Levinsohn, facility supervisor for the Leslie Science Center, praised Casello's rapport with children. "He knew so much and loved to share it with the kids,'' said "He would just regale the children with these wonderful stories. ... He says he got more out of it than the kids, but that wasn't true.'' Amanda Lodge, a program coordinator for the center, recently wrote a tribute to Casello. It's entitled, "Bill, the Man of Many Hats,'' in recognition of the hats Casello would bring as props. "He touched so many lives,'' Lodge wrote. "He took us on many adventures through his stories: "To the jungles of the Amazon. "The apple orchards of Macintosh. "On the trail with Peter Peachpit. "And to the imaginary lands of the Cracker Jack Fairy. "His smiles and generosity brightened our days. "And he inspired us to also smile and be generous. "To laugh loud and often. "To imagine a little and spin tall tales. And when all else fails: "To have a Hat Parade! "Our dear friend - you will be missed.'' Casello is survived by his wife, Claudette; a son, William; a daughter, Sarah; and a grandson. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 306 N. Division St. in Ann Arbor. Burial will follow at Forest Hill Cemetery. The family will receive visitors at Muehlig Funeral Chapel today from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m., and on Friday, starting at 10:30 in the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Nature Conservancy or National Wildlife Federation. Geoff Larcom can be reached at glarcom@annarbornews.com or (734) 994-6838.