John Cass

John T. Cass, 81, died September 15, 2007 in Portland. The son of John and Helen (Smith) Cass, he was born March 19, 1926 in Los Angeles, CA. At an early age he moved to Juneau, Alaska where he graduated from high school in 1944. John served with the United States Army during World War II in the Aleutian Islands. With the war over John attended the University of Montana where he obtained his degree in petroleum geology and later earned his masters degree in the same subject from the University of Indiana. Fresh from college John settled in Farmington, New Mexico. There in the Four Corners region he explored geological formations for the U.S. Geological Survey. By the late 1950s John was employed by Texaco Oil Company on the Alaska pipeline project. While in Alaska he got to know many of the native population ands enjoyed interacting with them. He also survived two helicopter accidents. Prior to retirement in 1982 John was regional district geologist for the west coast for Texaco. One of John's projects for Texaco was exploring for oil on the Long Beach Peninsula in the 1970s. Oil was not to be found but the exploration did discover the fresh water dome underneath the Peninsula. John loved the area which reminded him of Juneau and he retired here in 1982. He purchased Sparks Automotive in Seaview just to stay busy. John was a member of Long Beach Elks No. 1937. Over the years he collected fossils from his many explorations. He was an avid gardener, enjoyed tinkering with cars, enjoyed motor and dirt bike riding, and family vacations where he taught his children to camp and fish. John was very much his own person. He was very intelligent and insightful and enjoyed telling stories of his life experiences. He and Beverly Varner were married December 31, 1953. She died in 1990. Survivors include daughters Marcia Welch of Austin, TX, Lisa Cass of Loma, MT and Laura and her husband Chris Gilgore of Long Beach, WA; daughter-in-law Shryl Cass of Camarillo, CA; sister Merion Frolich of Norwalk, CT; grandchildren Chelsea Gilgore, Courtney Gilgore, Trevor Gilgore, Kayla Lewis, Jessica Lewis, Rikki Helzer, Kelley Reinhart, Travis Cass, Julie Welch and Buddy Welch; great-grandchildren Kryston and Mickey Alexander; and nieces Benedieta and Catrin McGrath Frolich. He was preceded in death by sons Michael and Rick Cass and son-in-law Jesse Welch. Memorial service was held September 18, 2007 at Penttila's Chapel by The Sea in Long Beach. Private committal will be at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, CA. John was an active supporter of and memorials in his memory may be made to the South Pacific County Humane Society, PO Box 101, Long Beach, WA 98631. Those who wish may share a memory and sign the guestbook at www.penttilaschapel.com.