Merced Sun Star [Merced, CA.]
Saturday, May 2, 1953

Raleigh Casad Dies Here At 67

Raleigh Casad, prominent civic and industrial leader of Merced and a resident here for the past 53 years, died yesterday evening on a local hospital at the age of 67.

Physicians said his death, which came after a heart attack Wednesday morning, occurred about 7:10 p.m.

Casad had been Merced District manager of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company and its predecessors from 1910 until his retirement on July 1, 1950. He was also past president of the Merced County Chamber of Commerce, active in the Merced County Chapter of the American Red Cross and a member of numerous other civic and fraternal organizations.

At the time of his illness he had been associated with Dr. Wayne Mann of Palo Alto in the making of movies designed to attract industry to Merced county. He had been planning to travel to the east in connection with this project soon.

Casad had been a candidate for director of the Merced Irrigation District in Feb. 4 election held this year.

Born in Illinois
He was born in Hardin County, ILL, July 3, 1885. Educated in the states of Washington and Oregon, he came to Merced in 1900. In 1902 he went to work for the Merced Falls Gas and Electric Company and in 1906 became working foreman for the firm. In 1910 the San Joaquin Light and Power Company purchased the organization.
In the same year Casad became Merced District manager, a position he continued to hold when the PG&E bought out the former organization in the 1930's.

Survivors include his wife, wife Sarah; a sister, Mrs. Mae Paulsen; a brother, Oris, all of Merced, and two granddaughters, Brenda Lee and Glenda Eloise Casad, both of Visalia.

  Charter Member
Casad was a charter member of the Tehran Shrine Temple of Fresno, and a member of the Merced County Farm Bureau, Merced-Mariposa Horseman's Association, BPOE Lodge 1240, Merced Rotary Club, Merced-Mariposa Shrine Club and Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.

Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday Mat 5, in Ivers and Alcorn Mission Chapel with Masonic Lodge F & AM No. 99 officiating. Burial will be in the family plot in the IOOF Cemetery.

Transcribed by: Alma Stone