Casey Killingsworth, July 12, 2015
Who else besides Casey would play a Bach cello suite on the banjo? Who besides Casey would give prizes (a toy paddle ball, for one) to those who could identify the first few bars of a 1970s A-side tune? Who besides Casey would take a 9,000-mile trip with son Josh for their 100th birthday (Casey, 60; Josh, 40) and tell about it through music?
All those things and much, much more happened at Vespers yesterday and none of us who know Casey Killingsworth were surprised in the least. Only delighted! It was Casey’s twenty-third Vespers performance and, whether he is accompanied by other family members or is on his own, as he was yesterday, he never fails to amaze and amuse and make us think. What a special guy he is and how lucky we are to have him back year after year.
Casey was our postmaster here in the nineties. He embraced Oysterville and vice-versa. He was married in the Oysterville Church. He found grant money to restore the Oysterville Schoolhouse. He hand-delivered mail to the old folks who could no longer get to the post office. And he always made us laugh.
Casey’s Book
Like the time when we had quite a bit of snow and someone rode to the store on their horse and tied it up out in front of the post office. I happened to be picking up my mail about then and Casey asked if I’d do him a favor. He came outside, posed by the horse’s flank, and had me take a picture of them. “I’m going to use it as my Christmas card,” he laughed. “It’s going to say, ‘Guess which one is the horse’s ass?’” Only Casey!
I came home and re-read A Handbook for Water, Casey’s book of poetry published in 1996. As my uncle Willard Espy said in the book’s introduction, “He has created a remarkable community of poems and songs – at once joyous and sad, exhilarating and heart-breaking. Tears and laughter become one here, and music is everywhere.” Just like yesterday at Vespers! No one but Casey!
Very well said Sydney! Casey was always the kind of postmaster that made a person’s trip to the post office worth while in so many ways. He was not only very nice to chat with but so humorous as well. He could put anyone in a good mood!