Annie May DeCastro

Mrs. Annie DeCastro, in County for 58 Years, Dies Here Sunday; Services Wed.

Mrs. Annie May DeCastro, 78, pioneer resident of Niobrara county, died quietly at the Spencer Hospital Sunday. She and her husband, the late Frank W. DeCastro came to Niobrara county in 1896.

Funeral services were being held this Wednesday afternoon from the Peet Mortuary with the Rev. Jacob Nein officiating. Burial is to be in the Lusk Cemetery with A. C. Tibbitts, Dave Iliff, Cy Bonner, Gilbert Bernbeck, Johnnie Thon and Harry Fernau acting as pallbearers.

Singing for the services were Mrs. Truett Neese, Mrs. Carl Peterson, L. E. Johnsonbaugh, and Donley Unruh. Mrs. H. J. Templeton was the accompanist. Songs were, "In the Garden" and "Safe in the Arms of Jesus."

Services of the American War Mothers were conducted by the Silver Cliff Chapter of Lusk.

Mrs. DeCastro was born Annie May Bennette in Boston, Mass. March 12, 1876. She was married December 16, 1891 to Frank W. DeCastro at Wauback, Iowa. The couple returned to Massachusetts to live for four years and in 1896 came to Wyoming. The family located 25 miles north of Lusk operating a ranch for 14 years. In 1908 the DeCastros moved to Lusk where the family home has been maintained since.

Mrs. DeCastro was a member of the First Baptist Church of Lusk and of the American War Mothers.

Fourteen children were born to Mr. and Mrs. DeCastro. Of these two infant sons, a daughter, Gladys, and a son Austin previously died. Mr. DeCastro died in 1947.

Surviving are four sons: Abdon of Lusk, Dr. A. B. of Hay Springs, Neb.; Chad of Stratton, Colo.; Frank W. of Cody; and six daughters, Mrs. Frances Knowles of Bakersfield, Ca;if.; Mrs. Lila Johnson of Lusk; Mrs. Dora Osborne, of Hemingford, Neb.; Mrs Jackie Gallup of Cheyenne; Mrs. Esther Fancher of Scappose, Ore.; and Mrs. Edith Gay Woods of Springfield, Ore. There are 27 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The DeCastro family has been linked with much of the early history of this county and of Lusk, and Mrs. DeCastro had an amazing faculty for recalling and telling stories of the early days here.

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