In addition to his
wife, Samuel is survived by three children, Samuel John
Kasley III of Midland, David Marc (Ann) Kasley of
Ludington, and Susan (Tom) Sniegowski of Ludington. And
five grandchildren Madeleine (Matt) O'Callahan, Markus
Kokx, Samuel John Kasley, IV, Owen Kasley and Dylan
Sniegowski. He is also survived by former
daughter-in-law Lori Stark-Kasley of Midland. Sam was
preceded in death by his parents and son, Matthew
Kasley.
Sam graduated from West Virginia University with a
bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. He then
completed a master's degree and doctorate in chemical
engineering at Clemson University. Sam has been
recognized for his distinguished career with membership
of the West Virginia University Chemical Engineering
Academy and as a member of Industrial Advisory Board,
Chemical Engineering Department, Clemson University. He
holds two patents on polymerization processes. He became
a member of MENSA in the 1960s.
Sam worked as an engineer for the Dow Chemical Company
in Lake Jackson, Texas; Midland and Ludington. After
retiring from Dow Chemical in 1990, he moved to East
Liverpool, Ohio, where he was the plant manager for
Waste Technologies Industries. In the mid-1990s he moved
to Denver and worked for Ecova Corporation.
Sam was an expert in the field of chemical weapons
disposal and served as vice president of Raytheon
Demilitarization Company and program director for
Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System. He was
the project manager for Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal
System in Hermiston, Oregon, then corporate manager for
Environmental Health and Safety for the Government Group
of Raytheon Engineers and Constructors in Philadelphia.
Then corporate manager of Environmental, Health, Safety
and Quality Assurance for Washington Demilitarization
Company in Arlington, Virginia. He finished his career
as a chemical engineer as action plant manager for Pine
Bluff Chemical Agent Disposal System with the Washington
Group.
In the fall of 2004, Sam started law school at West
Virginia University. During his second year of law
school, Sam had to take a break when he was diagnosed
with ALL (acute lymphoblastic leukemia). After a year of
intensive cancer treatment, he resumed his studies and
finished his law degree and was licensed to practice law
in West Virginia at the age of 71.
Sam spent the last 11 years practicing law. He
volunteered as a public defender for a year then was
hired by Legal Aid of West Virginia in Beckley, West
Virginia. He transferred to the Lewisburg office of
Legal Aid where he worked until he retired for the last
time in May 2020. In 2011, Sam was awarded the Kaufman
award for donating the most pro-bono attorney hours in
the state of West Virginia.
Sam was active in the lives of his children as they were
growing up by volunteering as a coach for multiple youth
sports, parent boards for hockey, baseball and swimming.
Sam was a lifelong athlete. He ran many marathons,
competed in master's swimming where he competed at the
state, national and international level. In the late
1970s, he read an article about the new sport of
triathlon and decided he should give it a try. He twice
completed the Ironman World Triathlon Championships in
Kona, Hawaii.
In 1979 he joined the Scottville Clown Band and
continued to play in parades with the band for more than
30 years and enjoyed returning to Ludington for the
Fourth of July to play with the band. He was a licensed
pilot with both private and instrument licenses. In the
late 1980s, he produced and hosted a weekly television
talk show on current events called, "It's Debatable."
Sam was an avid reader who could always be found with a
book, magazine or newspaper or playing a game of bridge.
He was active in politics throughout his life. Recently,
he volunteered in his community as a member of the
Alderson Planning Commission and was on the Alderson
Hospitality House Board of Directors. In his spare time,
he assisted his wife in their ownership and operation of
the Old Victorian Inn in Alderson.
A private family service will be held later this month.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to
Hospice of Greenbrier County, Legal Aid of West
Virginia, or the Samuel and Doris Kasley scholarship
fund at the chemical engineering department at West
Virginia University. |