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Man who died in Yellowstone hot springs formerly from Rogue River ... 1928-2016 Phoenix remembers former mayor Otto Caster's contributions Community volunteer lauded for his dedication dies at age 88 Comment By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Jun. 10, 2016 at 7:24 PM By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Jun. 10, 2016 at 7:24 PM » Social News Future residents of Phoenix who sip the water he helped bring to town or take their children to the park named in his honor may never have met former Mayor Otto Caster. But those who knew him say the imprint left on the community by a humble man will be around for generations to come. Born May 21, 1928, the lifelong Phoenix resident passed away Monday, June 6, after suffering from failing health in recent years. Those who remember Caster for his decades of community involvement said they would be hard pressed to think of another person who embodied public service the way he did. "He was such an honorable man and just had such a sweet nature that I don't think anyone who ever met him didn't immediately like and respect him," said Joyce Parducci, whose late husband, Larry Parducci, served alongside Caster for years. "When Larry first was on the council and on the budget committee, he really looked to Otto for advice and mentoring. He knew everything there was to know about Phoenix and the valley and yet he was just a humble and caring and genuinely wonderful person. I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone," Parducci said. Born on the family ranch at North Phoenix and Coal Mine Road, Caster called Southern Oregon his home for his entire life, save for a stint in the Army. He was a 1946 Phoenix High School graduate and member of the PHS Friday night "chain gang" at football games for some four decades. At least three generations of Casters, including his three sons and daughter, earned their diplomas from Phoenix High School. Caster and his wife, Pat, bought a new home on Oak Street in 1953, living there until her death in 2009, when his own failing health prompted a move to an assisted living facility. Caster joked in 2012 that he ventured outside the boundaries of Phoenix, save for his military years, just once, shortly after his marriage, when his brother promised a job — selling potato chips — in Texas. Caster quickly returned to his beloved Rogue Valley and would spend more than three decades as a delivery driver for Coca Cola, with his longest hours, even still, spent as a public servant and active community member. One of his first acts of public service, remembered resident Don Mitchell just before his own death in 2011, included helping a small band of men dig a trench for a water pipe to be brought to town, supplying clean drinking water to replace a mineral-laden system of wells. Officially, Caster began service on a slew of committees and boards in the early 1960s. That service would include everything from the budget committee and planning commission to decades on the City Council — including several terms as mayor — and serving on various committees dealing with everything from infrastructure to transportation. Former Ashland council member Al Willstatter said Caster epitomized selflessness. "I served with Otto on the RVTD board and Otto was on the (Phoenix) council about the time I was on the council in Ashland. I remember he used to deliver soft drinks to the Twin Plunges in Ashland," Willstatter said. "The one thing that always stood out was that Otto was very dedicated to public service and his word was as good as any bond. If Otto said he was going to do something, it was going to be done." Alongside his time in city politics, Caster served for more than 30 years on the Phoenix Volunteer Fire Department and counted over a half-century in membership with the Phoenix and Rogue Monarchs Lions Clubs. When the city dedicated Otto Caster Park in 2012, Caster said he was "flabbergasted" at the recognition. He quickly credited his late wife for all he had been able to contribute, noting "behind every great man is a great woman." Former council member Mike Stitt said he would visit Caster in more recent years, including times he would shuttle Caster to see his namesake park. "I visited Otto often at the retirement center and he always had his door wide open. You'd walk by and see him in his easy chair," Stitt said. "I would ask him why he never closed his door and he would just grin and say, 'I've always had an open door policy.'" —Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. Email her at [email protected]. By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Jun. 10, 2016 at 7:24 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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