Obituary for Mary C. Caston (Dunn)
Mary Cecilia (née Dunn) Caston passed away Tuesday morning, February 28. She was 98 years old. Mary was preceded in death by her husband Carl, daughter Maureen, son Joe, son-in-law Fig Jankowski, as well as brothers and sisters. She leaves her sister Jean Casseday, daughters Charlotte (Frank) Osborne, Anne Caston, Bridget (Fig) Jankowski, grandchildren Jim Osborne, Tom (Michele) Osborne, Patty (David) Grimm, Janet Osborne, Karen (Dan) Fox, Kathy (Dan) Balawender, Linda (Jodie) Bowers, Jennie (Brian) Berquist, Ross Jankowski, Alan Jankowski, Brian (Kenzie) Jankowski, 15 great grandchildren, niece Meg Gabelman, and many other nieces and nephews, and special “son” Mike Krueck, exchange student from Germany who has remained part of her family over many years.
Perhaps the most important part of Mary’s life was her family. Her home was a gathering place, from the fondly-remembered Dunn family Christmas Day parties to the simple Sundays with children and grandchildren. She also made regular trips to Perry County to visit aunts, uncles and cousins. She made sure that her widowed aunts and stepmother weren’t forgotten and always had a place to enjoy a holiday dinner.
Mary was well known for her bountiful trays of a vast array of Christmas cookies and candy, especially almond butter crunch, which she’d been making from the time she married into the Caston family. Even when it wasn’t the holiday season, her kitchen was always an endless source of homemade treats, be it molasses cookies, elderberry pie, zucchini bread, or Texas sheet cake. Her daughter’s friends were known to refer to her as “Saint Mary of the Kitchen” and would call if they needed help working out a recipe, asking if they’d reached the “cooking hotline” when she answered the phone.
She was also known for her vegetable and flower gardens, especially her roses. Mary found it hard to walk by and ignore a weed wherever she happened to be without bending down and pulling it out.
Mary was also a capable seamstress, knitter, crocheter, and card player (euchre or bridge). She enjoyed playing the slot machines, watching Cleveland baseball, listening to the Irish Tenors, and just being Mom, Grandma, Sis, or Aunt Sis to her large family.
Her unshakable Catholic faith was a hallmark of her life. She attended daily mass, prayed the rosary every day, and made many novenas for countess special intentions over the years. She may not be able to help you with your recipes now, but don’t hesitate to send up a prayer or special intention.
Almond Butter Crunch
1 c butter
1 1/3 c sugar
1 Tbsp light Karo syrup
3 Tbsp water
2 c almonds - blanched, chopped and toasted, divided
1 lb milk chocolate for coating
Cook first 4 ingredients to 300 degrees - do NOT stir while mixture is heating; mixture should begin to darken at about 275 degrees. Quickly stir in 1 cup nuts. Pour into an ungreased 9 x 13 inch metal pan or edged cookie sheet. Cool. Turn out onto wax paper. Coat top w/ melted chocolate. Sprinkle with ½ cup almonds. Cover with wax paper; pat gently to set almonds in chocolate. Cool so chocolate sets. Turn over and repeat coating process. Cool and break into pieces. Enjoy the toppings that fall off during breakage over ice cream or use to coat subsequent batches.
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Perhaps the most important part of Mary’s life was her family. Her home was a gathering place, from the fondly-remembered Dunn family Christmas Day parties to the simple Sundays with children and grandchildren. She also made regular trips to Perry County to visit aunts, uncles and cousins. She made sure that her widowed aunts and stepmother weren’t forgotten and always had a place to enjoy a holiday dinner.
Mary was well known for her bountiful trays of a vast array of Christmas cookies and candy, especially almond butter crunch, which she’d been making from the time she married into the Caston family. Even when it wasn’t the holiday season, her kitchen was always an endless source of homemade treats, be it molasses cookies, elderberry pie, zucchini bread, or Texas sheet cake. Her daughter’s friends were known to refer to her as “Saint Mary of the Kitchen” and would call if they needed help working out a recipe, asking if they’d reached the “cooking hotline” when she answered the phone.
She was also known for her vegetable and flower gardens, especially her roses. Mary found it hard to walk by and ignore a weed wherever she happened to be without bending down and pulling it out.
Mary was also a capable seamstress, knitter, crocheter, and card player (euchre or bridge). She enjoyed playing the slot machines, watching Cleveland baseball, listening to the Irish Tenors, and just being Mom, Grandma, Sis, or Aunt Sis to her large family.
Her unshakable Catholic faith was a hallmark of her life. She attended daily mass, prayed the rosary every day, and made many novenas for countess special intentions over the years. She may not be able to help you with your recipes now, but don’t hesitate to send up a prayer or special intention.
Almond Butter Crunch
1 c butter
1 1/3 c sugar
1 Tbsp light Karo syrup
3 Tbsp water
2 c almonds - blanched, chopped and toasted, divided
1 lb milk chocolate for coating
Cook first 4 ingredients to 300 degrees - do NOT stir while mixture is heating; mixture should begin to darken at about 275 degrees. Quickly stir in 1 cup nuts. Pour into an ungreased 9 x 13 inch metal pan or edged cookie sheet. Cool. Turn out onto wax paper. Coat top w/ melted chocolate. Sprinkle with ½ cup almonds. Cover with wax paper; pat gently to set almonds in chocolate. Cool so chocolate sets. Turn over and repeat coating process. Cool and break into pieces. Enjoy the toppings that fall off during breakage over ice cream or use to coat subsequent batches.
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