Abdon "Ab" Frank DeCastro

Abdon Frank De Castro

Abdon Frank DeCastro was born at Hat Creek, Wyoming, April 23, 1901, to Annie and Frank DeCastro. Ab was the sixth child of fourteen children.

He grew up in Niobrara County, attending the Lusk schools, and except for four years spent working as a pipe fitter and welder in the ship yards at Bremerton, Wash. during the Second World War, Ab lived his life in Wyoming.

Ab was a working man 70 of his 82 years. His first job was carrying mail. His father had a contract to carry mail from Lusk to Torrington and Lusk to Warren. He made three trips north to Warren and three trips south to Torrington each week. Starting from Lusk he would drive to a halfway station and change horses, then go to Warren or Torrington and stay all night and return the next day. During the summer when Ab was only 12, he made two trips by himself covering the route with a horse and cart. The next summer when Ab was 13, he took over management of the mail routes. Throughout his life he recalled the many homesteaders to whom he delivered mail along the way.

In the fall of 1914, Ab went to work in the garage which belonged to C. S. George and M. P. Vollmer. It was located in the old livery barn which stood on the lot east of the present "Culver and Son" automotive store. Later the garage was moved to the building now occupied by the Silver Dollar Bar. From 1914 to 1917 Ab worked in the garage and helped his father farm while he was also attending school.

In 1918 he went to work for Boyd and Rogers who also owned a garage. When Boyd and Rogers sold out to the Godfreys, Ab continued to work for them until 1923 when he went to Salt Creek. He worked in the Salt Creek oil fields until August, 1926. An accident which put his father in the hospital brought Ab back home where he again went to work for the Godfreys in the Lusk Motor Company.

During World War II he moved his family to Bremerton, Wash. where he worked as a pipe fitter and welder helping rebuild and outfit naval ships for combat use in the Pacific. When World War II was won, Ab moved his family back to Lusk and returned to work at the Lusk Motor Company. Godfreys sold the company in 1952 and Ab continued working as a car salesman for the new owners, the Johnson Brothers, for one more year. He then jointed the Buick agency with Carl Cline until 1956.

From 1958 to 1963 he sold cars for Wasson Chevrolet, after which he retired to join his wife in operating their motel. However, Ab also spent several seasons helping farmers in the area with their plowing and harvesting of corn and beets, the feeding of cattle in feed lots, and by building fence and doing other necessary labor and chores. He was always a hard, willing, and honest worker and had a reputation for being one of the best and most accommodating mechanics in the country.

He had a keen mind, a fabulous memory, and was an excellent story teller who enjoyed recalling incidents of a historical nature with friends. Hal Siel, one of his long time friends said, "He was everybody's friend and he did a lot of good in the world."

On January 18, 1930, he married Edna Howard and to this union were born three children: Dolores Anne Welty of Leucadia, Calif., Howard Lee of Coronado, Calif. and Edward Austin of Laramie.

Besides his wife Edna and three children, he is survived by five grandchildren; four sisters, Lila Johnson of Lusk, Dora Osborne of Hemingford, Nebr., Jackie Gallup of Cheyenne and Esther Fancher of Scappoose, Ore.; three brothers, Dr. A. B. DeCastro of Hay Springs, Nebr., Chad of Julesburg, Colo. and Frank of Conifer, Colo. and numerous nieces and nephews.

His parents, three sisters and three brothers preceded him in death.

We trust him to God's care, knowing that those who accept Christ as Savior are safe in His keeping.

Services were held at Peet Mortuary Chapel in Lusk Monday, Oct 3 with Rev. Gilbert Moor officiating. Interment was in Lusk Cemetery.

Active Pallbearers were Bob Ellis, Verle Ellis, Dave Hood, Richard Schnorenberg, Doug DeCastro and Graydon Hoblit.

Memorials may be made to Niobrara Historical Society.

Arrangements were by Peet Mortuary.

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