Richard A. Cast

Richard (Dick) Allen Cast of Ankeny, Iowa took his final flight home on November 1st at the age of 92. Son of Walter and Edith Cast and loving husband to Bernadine Cast (Waylander) for 64 beautiful years.

Born in Nebraska and eventually settling in Denver, Colorado where he graduated from East High School in 1949 and where Dick pursued his dream of becoming a pilot. His long successful aviation career began with Continental Airways followed by time at Eastman Oil gaining experience as a copilot and mechanic and then on to Chevron Corporation. After a move to Iowa in 1965, he spent the next several decades until retirement as a corporate chief pilot for Iowa Beef Processors. Many pilots trained and worked alongside him over the years and he was known as a wonderful teacher and he helped many launch successful careers in corporate aviation.

It was also in Denver where Dick met Bernadine Waylander whom he married in May 1960 and where they spent many weekends camping and skiing in the mountains. They settled in Sioux City, IA where they raised 4 daughters and were devoted members of Morningside Lutheran Church and active in the community. After retirement, Dick and Bernadine moved to Ankeny, IA which has been their home for over 20 years and they have been devoted members of Palestine Lutheran Church in Huxley, IA.

Beyond his deep faith, his number one focus and love in life was his family. He was our guiding light and always made time for kid and grandkid activities, sports, school projects and special events and was the lead man in getting us all in trouble with mom . . . . His spare time was also spent gardening and that passion was clearly passed on to all 4 daughters. He was a lifelong learner and an avid reader and just exceptionally good at everything he did. His many years as an airplane mechanic made him the go to guy for all questions of “how do you fix this?” and he always had a way.

He is survived by his brother, David Cast, his wife of 64 years, Bernadine Cast (Waylander), along with 4 daughters, Jennifer (Michael) Young, Gretchen (Scott) Eames, Carolyn (Perry) Ping and Susan (Boe) Bruns as well as 10 grandchildren including Benjamin (Laura) Lindsay, Andrew (Lindsay) Lindsay, Ryan (Kailee) Lindsay, Caitlin (Tyler) Mitchell, Margaret Eames, Sara Ping, Emily (Keith) White, Allison (Matt) McAleer, Lauren (Tayler Tjaden) Bruns, and Tyler Bruns and 3 great grandchildren including Lydia Adam, Alice Kocyon and Bridget White. He is preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Edith Cast, his stepmother Clio Cast and brother Darrell Cast and sister Mary Tuttle.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Food Bank of Iowa at www.donate.foodbankiowa.org or to Palestine Lutheran Church at www.plchuxley.com

A Celebration of Life will be held on Wednesday, November 27, 2024 at 11:30 am at Palestine Lutheran Church, 1375 Highway 210, Huxley, IA with an informal luncheon and gathering to follow.

“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you will always long to return” – Leonardo Da Vinci