Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Man dies in early morning crash near Prospect 10 things to know for Monday Talent Citizen of the Year: 'She just does stuff' Transportation desperately needed for paralyzed father Malawian inspires Ashland kids with ndizotheka — 'it is possible' Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Man dies in early morning crash near Prospect Emergency services Lawsuits claim sexual assault and whistle-blower retaliation at OnTrack Gang-related shooting in Portland sends 3 youth to hospital Emergency services Politics and Elections Time running out for O&C funds GMO vote recount still shows little change GMO labeling votes recounted under careful watch in Jackson County Kent Bush: First Amendment doesn’t mean what you think it means East Medford's the charm Education St. Mary's plays host to youth robotics tournament A lesson in giving Hedrick student council works to clean up the language Table Rock solid: Elementary school praised for keeping attendance up Eagle Point superintendent invited to White House Environment No fish, no funding for problem dams Most residents speak against gas pipeline Coalition asks for defense of GMO ban Home Help: Make your new house feel like home Bighorn sheep reintroduced along Klamath River State News As deadline nears, Oregon's health insurance signups still low Gang-related shooting in Portland sends 3 youth to hospital GMO labeling proponents concede defeat Tribes can decide whether to legalize pot Lawyer says football player had altercation Nation - World Grand jury won't indict Ferguson cop in shooting Obituaries Diana DeVoe Logan Ronald Bombick In Memory of Richard Eugene Snyder Rudy Giorgetti Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories Hope lost Crater, North strong at Coast Classic Spartans complete sweep of Totems Raiders self-destruct in loss to Chiefs No. 3 Florida State turns to practice field Varsity 541 College Sports No. 3 Florida State turns to practice field Smith big in SOU’s rout of Pacific Union Baker happy to have Heisman company Mariota takes Heisman in landslide Brooks, Oregon beat Illinois Pro Sports Hope lost Spartans complete sweep of Totems Raiders self-destruct in loss to Chiefs Scott claims Australian gold Spartans race to early lead in win Community Sports Keeping Fit: Runners need to do more than run to stay in shape RESULTS/STANDINGS LOCAL EVENTS Business Latest Stories Ride & Drive: 2015 Nissan Juke Nismo Honda’s CR-V goes uptown again Rental owners group reports 2.48 percent vacancy rate Blog: It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like... K-BAR ignites agriculture boom beneath Table Rocks Real Estate News Rental owners group reports 2.48 percent vacancy rate More sales, but no change in residential housing median price Dear Monty: Violation of HOA rules creates conflict Farmers file suit over GMO crop ban People In Business People in Business, Dec. 3 People in Business, Nov. 18 Transportation Allegiant Air will resume Medford-Phoenix service May 22 Agriculture K-BAR ignites agriculture boom beneath Table Rocks Southern Oregon wine industry had a robust 2013 Farmers file suit over GMO crop ban Lawsuit seeks to overturn Jackson County's GMO ban or net $4.2 million for farms Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, Dec. 15 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 14 Our View: Dana Milbank: The coarsening of politics George Will: The cheerfulness of tax reform Editorials Our View: Other Views: Riley leaves strong legacy at OSU Our View: Cheers and jeers Our View: Sentencing reform pays dividends Our View: Find middle ground on timber policy Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Dec. 15 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 14 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 12 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 11 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 10 Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: Forest thinning means water for the future Guest Opinion: Suit threatens family farms and democratic vote Guest Opinion: SOU pool decision short-sighted Guest Opinion: It's time for biologists to let OR-7 go dark Guest Opinion: It's time Oregon put a price on carbon Lifestyle Latest stories Ride & Drive: 2015 Nissan Juke Nismo Kitchen Call: Shopping for the cook It Is What It Is: Lice. Need I say more? Honda’s CR-V goes uptown again Mark L. Hopkins: The most wonderful time of year Food Kitchen Call: Shopping for the cook Community blog: Gobble gougeres as appetizers or with light meals Community blog: Choose presents cooks can cherish, not regift Roasted vegetables are rich, flavorful Food for Thought: Meal-planning hacks to help you dine fast and healthy Home and Garden Home Help: Create a happy homemade holiday Rogue Valley Christmas light displays Remodeling your attic: Know the details before you start Dear Monty: When a lawyer’s fee is four times higher than the quote Home Help: Make your new house feel like home Health Community blog: Saving Lives Health Watch: Curb your kitchen cravings this holiday season Community blog: Unsubscribe.com Community blog: Redefining Family Dr. Murray Feingold: Say it like you mean it Hiking Biking Faith Religion news: Pope aims to expedite sex abuse rulings Milestones and Achievements Ashland celebrates 'Wild' screening with Cheryl Strayed Asante merger stabilizes Ashland hospital's finances Time running out for O&C funds Hire 'em and pray for snow Madi-Stiles Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories TMTO's 'Christmas Carol' a big, warmhearted extravaganza Phil Newton & David Pinsky at 2Hawk Winery Live Music in Local Clubs Over Easy serves 'pop-up' brunch Sundays Meet the real Jacob Marley Theater Meet the real Jacob Marley This Nutcracker ballet will have a superhero twist Plumbing the depths of meaning TMTO presents 'A Christmas Carol: The Musical' Theater review: 'Fiddler' charms audience in magical Camelot performance Music Rating old-timers’ albums from 2014 Phil Newton & David Pinsky at 2Hawk Winery Handel's 'Messiah' set for this weekend Live Music in Local Clubs Bob Haworth plays EdenVale Winery Community Events Rogue Valley Christmas light displays It's a Hamazon holiday at the Playwright Public House 4 Things to do this Week Soroptimist holiday home tour features four houses this weekend Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Dining Over Easy serves 'pop-up' brunch Sundays Ooblies Artisan Waffle Sandwiches Brunch at Loft Brasserie The Bohemian Club Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Man dies in early morning crash near Prospect ... 'Wild' author recounts journey from book to film ... Since You Asked: Crows 'commute' to feeding grounds ... Man dies in early morning crash near Prospect ... 'Wild' author recounts journey from book to film ... Since You Asked: Crows 'commute' to feeding grounds ... MEDFORD 'Everyone has a story' Centenarian says love of people keeps her going By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 14, 2014 @ 12:01 am By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 14, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Social News After a century on the planet, lifelong Oregonian Helen Caster has a story or two to tell. Her mind still sharp and her sense of humor firmly in place, she's quick to credit her longevity to a love of people, time spent reading and an appreciation for all things chocolate. A teacher and librarian in the Central Point School District from the early 1940s until the mid-1960s, Caster, who now lives at the Rogue Valley Manor, still maintains contact with former students. While her 100th birthday earlier this month was quite an occasion for friends and family, those closest to Caster say she receives cards, phone calls, letters and visitors year-round. Caster's life and her stories are flanked by historically significant events. A direct descendant of Mayflower pilgrim Edward Doty, Caster's family and that of her late husband, Bert, both traveled the Oregon Trail to settle parts of the West. Helen Harris Caster was born Dec. 2, 1914. Her family homesteaded 160 acres in Harney County, where Caster traveled via wagon with her mother, a registered nurse, to tend to community members. "I remember riding on the wagon as young as 3 and I remember enjoying listening to the stories that people would tell," she says. "Everyone has a story." Unable to farm the desert land, Caster's father moved the family to Dunsmuir, Calif., and later to Ashland, where he worked for the railroad. Caster laughs as she recalls "showing off" to friends by drinking "Lithia water" from the downtown fountains. When Caster was 9, her mother was summoned to tend to victims of the D'Autremont brothers' train robbery on Oct. 11, 1923. Caster graduated from Oregon Normal School (now Western Oregon University) and married Bert in 1939. A military family, the couple lived around the United States. A stint in Georgia found neighbors suspicious of Caster using a newfangled machine for clothes washing. "I guess they thought I was manufacturing babies or something," Caster says with a laugh. "I didn't stick around too long after that." The couple were living in The Dalles when the attack on Pear Harbor occurred on Dec. 7, 1941, sending the United States into World War II. Bert Caster served in the European theater while his young family stayed in Portland. After the war, the family relocated to the Rogue Valley, taking over the Caster family dairy farm on Upton Road and selling milk to the Rogue Creamery and Darigold. Helen worked as a teacher and librarian in local schools while raising her two sons and sold corn from a roadside stand during summer vacation. Always a "people watcher," Caster says her most humorous encounter while tending the corn stand was with a tourist. "Someone all the way from Pennsylvania came up one time and he wanted just one single ear of corn," Caster says, holding up a single digit and raising her eyebrows, laughing. "He said, 'I would like to eat it as I drive along.' So he left with just one ear of peeled corn, eating it right off the cob." Caster is still too busy to slow down, friends and family members say. Niece Daleen Wilkins said Caster's weekly hair appointments and regular entourage of visitors keep the former librarian in good spirits. Students send cards recounting favorite books, contests held by Caster and the times she would allow groups of struggling students to be in her special "library club." "I found that if you made the kids feel like they were part of something, they would try harder," Caster said. Wilkins marvels at Caster's energy. "She just really loves people and I think it keeps her going," Wilkins said. "And probably the sugar. She has a pretty big sweet tooth. She always orders dessert when her dinner menu comes, then she picks her main course and vegetables to get those things out of the way." John Caster, the oldest of Caster's two sons, admitted it's difficult to think of his mother as an older person. "It's kind of a shock to realize she's as old as she is. And kind of a shock for my mother being 100 and having to admit it," he said. "She spent her whole last several years of her life trying to hide her age from people. She still gets her hair done every Thursday and she still spends a lot of time reading the newspaper, novels, books. She keeps up on what's going on. We have to remind ourselves she's not 50, she's 100." Caster says there's no big secret or trick to sticking around for as long as she has. "I just enjoy life and I love people," she says. "I've always loved being around people and keeping in touch and hearing their stories. I'm just not done yet."   Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. Reach her at [email protected] .   By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune Posted Dec. 14, 2014 @ 12:01 am » 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. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs 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. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501