Ray Castor

Big Ray was born on April 12, 1919 in the Carter area homestead house of his parents, Mamie and Lewis Castor. The homestead was a fitting place to start for the man who would spend the majority of his time and his years living in that house and farming that land. He spent his youth working, playing with his siblings, and making his own recreations. A favorite was gopher hunting with his sling shot, an event he enjoyed for the rest of his life, albeit with substantial armament upgrades. Dad was a young boy when he endured the tragedy of losing his sister, Lois, and his brother, Edward, to accidental deaths in the span a few months. These life shaping events made him cautious and protective for the rest of his life. He was always looking out for everyone, the consummate caretaker. Eleven years after his birth, his brother Jack was born. Dad attended Carter grade school and Fort Benton High school, graduating in 1937. He enrolled at Montana State University majoring in engineering, but his career as an engineer was cut short after a year due to medical problems with his father. Returning to the farm did not stop him, however, from utilizing his engineering skills and cheering for the Bobcats for the rest of his life. World War II came along and Dad enlisted in the Coast Guard and was stationed in Alaska. On leave from the Coast Guard, Dad married Jane Prideaux, also from the Carter area, on September 2, 1944. After his service duty was completed they moved to the farm and began their lives together. They spent their time raising grain, and a family that included a daughter Nancy and a son Jan. Five grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren came to be included in the family, and they watched over all of us, always a stabilizing force. They frequently traveled to California and Utah to visit their family, and also traveled to see a bit more of the world. Two highlight trips were a cruise through the Panama Canal and an Indy 500 excursion. They were extremely active in the Carter community and the Carter Methodist church. If there was any community event going on, its a pretty safe bet that they were deeply involved. Dad always enjoyed shooting and was a long time member of the Carter Rifle Club and the Carter Junior Rifle Club. He spent many hours shooting competitively and also teaching young people how to shoot. He was a Hunters Safety instructor for 25+ years. Instructing and guiding people brought him great satisfaction. You wouldnt think he would have had time for much else, but he still needed to fulfill his engineering quest. So he built things. All kinds of things. Like a motorized car for his kids, a riding lawn mower out of old car and truck parts, a self propelled drivable auger out of an old combine, numerous woodworking projects, including 2 custom Ray Castor dollhousesthe list goes on and on. No store bought plans, they are all Ray Castor originals. They are sturdy, square and substantial. And they are all still in use today. In 1987, Dad retired at the age of 68 and immediately won the award for worst retired guy ever, as he just couldnt stop working. He always said, The minute you stop, you stop living. and he certainly wasnt ready for that. There were still things to build and people to look after, so his semi-retirement continued for many years. He accepted the fact that living on the farm was becoming difficult so Mom and Dad moved to Great Falls in 2002. After some adjusting, they became settled and content in their new home. City living didnt include his beloved view of the horizon, so journeys to the farm were frequent. In 2008, shortly after celebrating Moms 90th birthday and their 64th anniversary, Mom passed away leaving a big hole in all our lives. Dads strength helped us all through this time. His will to live, so strong that even open heart surgery at age 90, only briefly slowed him down. He was the poster child for achievement in his post-surgery exercise classes. Dad lived independently and bonded with his Great Falls home; he was comfortable there. He spent his days keeping track of the weather, watching sporting events and car races on TV, keeping track of the weather, brewing his special grind of coffee, and keeping track of the weather. His biggest desire was to be able to maintain his independence there, because that is the kind of guy he was. He passed away suddenly on January 8th at his home. We will all miss you Dad. Ray was preceded in death by his parents Mamie and Lewis; sister Lois; and brothers Edward and Jack. He will be lovingly remembered by his children; Nancy Knott (Tom) and Jan Castor (Debra); grandchildren Alex Knott, Lindsay Knott, Jason Castor (Angela), Adam Castor (Heather) and Stephanie Castor; great grandchildren Logan and Auston Castor, Ella Castor, Noah Watson and Avery Anderson, who will all keep Rays legacy alive. A special thank you to Judy Thomas of Nightingale for her years of friendship to Ray and for providing the care and mobility that enabled Dad to remain independent. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to your favorite charity in Rays name. A viewing will be held on Friday, January 22nd from 5:007:00 p.m. at Schnider Funeral Home located at 1510 13th St. South in Great Falls. Funeral services will be Saturday, January 23rd at 10:30 a.m. at First United Methodist Church located at 610 2nd Avenue North in Great Falls. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.