Today my family and I put to rest my dear Grandma. She played such an important role in my love of reading, so I thought it would be appropriate to honor her here on my blog.
Mary Casto was born in 1926, one of nine children. Her family, the Boswell’s, were pioneers who decided to settle and farm in Western Virginia in the late 1700s. The family home was in a hollow and she had to walk several miles a day to get to school, but this never hindered her. She seldom missed school.
She met my grandfather, Arnold Casto, at a church function. Grandpa was in the service and knew one of her brothers. He wrote her under the pretense of finding where her brother was stationed. They began writing to one another every day. They eventually began courting, and were married after my grandfather returned from service. Arnold and Mary Casto had three children: Judith (my mother), Mary Ellen, & David. David preceded my grandmother in death; he died just a few years ago of prostate cancer.
Grandma started working at the public library in 1972. At that time, the library was housed in the basement of the town hall, with a collection of 2,000 books. While the collection was small, my grandmother brought so much love and enthusiasm about books and reading to the children and families of the small town. To many, this was the only access they had to books and she did her best to instill a love of reading and respect for literature in each and every one of them.
The library moved in 1989 to a new location. Grandma worked at the library until she retired in 1995. The libraries collection grew by leaps and bounds in this time, it now houses more than 26,000 books, CDs, & DVDs. I spent many a summer with my grandparents, and I distinctly remember spending countless hours in this library. It was here I discovered the work of Stephen King, read Gone with the Wind and other pieces of fiction that impacted my life.
Grandma & Grandpa’s home was also always full of books. Their den is lined with built-in bookshelves. It is here that I discovered Nancy Drew and the Boxcar Children. I could grab a book of the shelf, curl up and lose myself in another world.
As I grew into adulthood, my grandmother continued to play an important role in my life. When I met my husband, Grandma and Grandpa both accepted him as part of our family immediately, although interracial marriages weren’t something that was necessarily accepted in their small town. When we were blessed with children, they loved and spoiled them like only grandparents can.
It saddens me to know that my boys won’t get the opportunity to know Grandma as I did, but we can keep her memory alive through the stories we tell of her.
It is hard to put into words just how much my grandmother impacted my life, but I do hope this post does justice to a woman who impacted the world so dramatically.
Oh Jenn this is such a wonderful special post. Thank you so much for sharing. I am so sorry for you loss.
Twitter: ckybooks
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That was an awesome tribute. She was obviously an amazing woman.
Twitter: The1stdaughter
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Beautiful post Jenn. My heart goes out to you, what a wonderful inspiration to have in your life.
What a beautiful post and a special woman. I’m sorry for your loss.
Beautiful post Jenn! Mary was obviously a wonderful woman and how great that you had so much time with her. I’m sure she would have been touched by your words as we are. Thank you for sharing a little bit of her with us and I am so sorry for your loss.
A lovely tribute for a lovely woman. She’s clearly impacted your life in a positive way!
My thoughts are with you and your family.
Jenn what a beautiful post. Had tears in my eyes by the time I finished reading this. Your grandmother sounds like an amazing lady. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family today. thanks for sharing with us.
Beautiful post Jenn. What a wonderful legacy! Thinking of you lots. Thank you for sharing.
Well, Jenn, you’ve gone and made me cry into my coffee. This is a beautiful post and such a fitting tribute for a woman who made a huge difference in your life. I’m keeping you and your family in my thoughts. Thank you so much for sharing this.
A beautiful tribute Jenn. She sounds like a remarkable woman.
What a loving tribute – I can tell how much your grandmother meant to you. I’m so sorry for your loss – you’ve been in my thoughts and prayers.
Twitter: bettyandboo
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Such a wonderful tribute to your grandmother. Thank you for sharing her with us. I’m so very sorry for your loss. Losing a grandparent as an adult is a unique kind of loss, I think, because with them goes a piece of a childhood and our heart, and it is the loss of that experience for our children that, I think, we mourn the most. My deepest condolences to you and your family, Jenn.
What a thoughtful, wonderful tribute to your grandmother! She sounds like a fantastic woman. We’re all thinking of you and your family.
Eyes are welling up here… Beautiful post. After all these years, I never knew that she worked at the library.
Jenn, we are honored that you shared this tribute to your grandmother with us. I am so sorry for your loss. She sounds like a wonderful person, beloved by many I am sure. And she isn’t gone, she lives on in you and your love of books and sharing that love with your world. Your children will know her because you will make it so. Hugs to you! I’m sure she was very, very proud of you.
What a lovely tribute. Condolences to you and your family,
Twitter: Chrisbookarama
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I’m so sorry about your Grandma. Those are some beautiful photos of her.
Twitter: truebookaddict
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So sorry for your loss. A wonderful tribute to your grandmother here. May she rest in peace.
A lovely tribute. My condolences to all who loved her.
Aww Jen, what a great tribute! You are so very lucky to have had a grandma like you did. I’m so sorry for your loss!
Jenn this is a beautiful post! I’m so grateful to your grandmother for inspiring in you the love of reading because we are blessed to have your reviews. I know your grandma is so proud of you and I thank you for posting about Mary Casto, who is a wonderful woman.
Obviously the words “I’m sorry for your loss” are inadequate, but they are heartfelt. You and your family are in my prayers.
Twitter: ValerieAndBooks
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My condolences go out to you and your family. From your post, I can tell your grandma definitely was an amazing person.
Your grandma sounds like an amazing woman. This was a beautiful tribute to her. You have my deepest sympathy.
What an amazing tribute. You were certainly lucky to have her in your life!
Twitter: toofondofbooks
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Jenn – this is a beautiful piece you’ve written to honor your grandmother’s memory. You are so fortunate to have had this special woman in your life – clearly she has left a mark on you. Know that you can share your stories with your boys, and those pictures are wonderful. All my best.
You are in my thoughts and prayers, my condolences. Loosing a loved one is never easy, time will heal and sharing your stories will help. Your boys will be able to hear all your lovely stories, and they will know how greatly she impacted your life.
Your lucky to have had her in your life.
What a lovely post with such wonderful pictures. My heartfelt sympathy to you and your family!
Losing someone who had such an impact on your life is difficult, but your post is a dazzling tribute to a women who gave the gift of reading not only to you but lots of people. Mary sounds like a wonderful lady and I my sympathy goes out to you and your family.
Twitter: skrishna
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Beautiful tribute, Jenn. My thoughts are with you and your family.
What an amazing woman with a wonderful story. I am sorry for your loss, but am so glad that she was instrumental in you becoming a lover of reading. I can only hope that someone feels that about reading.
Oh Jenn, I’m so sorry to read of the loss of your Grandmother, this is a beautiful post in her honour. The stories, photos and special times you’ve shared will keep her with you always, my heart goes out to you. Sending warm {{hugs}}
Twitter: annaeccentric
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I’m so sorry for your loss, but this is a beautiful tribute to a woman who obviously changed your life for the better. ((HUGS))
What a wonderful tribute to a wonderful woman! I’m sorry for your loss.
What a fitting tribute to a wonder woman! She would be so proud of what you wrote. Losing a grandmother is one of life’s great losses. You have many great memories and that is what is prescious!
Twitter: devourerofbooks
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What a beautiful post. I’m so sorry for your loss, but so glad you have wonderful memories like this of your grandmother.
What a beautiful tribute for a beautiful lady. She and Mr. Casto always had a kind word and a warm smile for everyone.
Such a beautiful remembrance. Your grandmother sounds like a very special lady. It is wonderful that you have so many great memories with her to cherish and to share with your little ones. So sorry for your loss.
Jennifer,
Your grandmother (my mother) was a very special lady. She was very proud of all of her grandchildren and relished the time spent with you. You were the first granddaughter and she was able to dote on the girl gifts for you. One of the biggest gifts she gave was her ear for what you said. You were often quiet about your feelings and she would often draw out thoughts you had not yet expressed.
Mom did not read as much as she would have liked to, but she loved whenever I would share what I was reading with her. I believe her inquisitive discussion was one of the reasons I found so much joy in my own reading. We only had a bookmobile come whenever I was a girl, so the library was an asset in so many respects.
Thanks for sharing her story…
Love,
Mom
Jenn,
A beautiful tribute, sweetened by your mother’s contribution… She obviously had a profound impact on your life, and she lives in those stories that continue to bless your family. Thank you for sharing…
~Ashley
What a lovely tribute! It’s hard to imagine your children not getting to know the people that were so important to you but I know from experience that talking about them, a lot, will make them real.
Well I think you did your Grandma proud with this post. Thanks for sharing the lovely photo memories too – that made it even more special. I too lost my grandmother recently and remember many visits to her home as a child standing in front of their built-in bookcase in the hallway trying to decide between The Five Little Peppers and How They Grew or other such classics of childhood. How lucky we have been to have had grandparents to instill this love of reading in our lives ‘eh?
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Twitter: age30books
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(Sorry I’m so late with this …)
What a beautiful post this is, and a wonderful tribute to your grandmother. I’m sure you will miss her terribly. And I do hope your children will have some great memories of her, even if those memories come mostly from you.