Robert William McCasland

(November 6, 1921 ~ December 29, 1942)

Robert, son of Don McCasland and Lucy Etheline Graham, married to Joyce Lori Landers and buried in Bradshaw Cemetery, Bradshaw, Taylor County, Texas.

Burns Fatal to Young Coach

Robert McCasland, 21, graduate of McMurry college and former Bradshaw high school athletic coach, died early today in a Monahans hospital from burns received in an oil field explosion Monday.

McCasland was awaiting a call to the Army air corps and had been working in the oil fields on weekends and holidays. He had been teaching and coaching this year at Abel City, a consolidated school in the Permian basin country.

His wife, the former Joyce Landers of Ovalo, and his mother, Mrs. Don McCasland of Abilene, were at the bedside at the time of McCasland’s death. Both were in Abilene at the time of the accident and left immediately for Monahans.

No funeral arrangements had been announced this morning.

SISTER HERE

His only sister, Mrs. W. S. Harrison, 1330 North Seventh street, said the burial likely will be in Bradshaw.

A summer graduate of McMurry in 1941, McCasland finished his four-year college course in three years and had started work on a master’s degree by correspondence from Hardin-Simmons.

At McMurry he was a member of the Kiva social club, serving as treasurer of the organization, and worked as a reporter on the War Whoop, college newspaper.

At Bradshaw last year, McCasland’s basketball team won a Class B sectional championship. He was one of the youngest coaches in the interscholastic league.

BRADSHAW NATIVE

McCasland was born Nov. 6, 1921, at Bradshaw. He attended elementary school at Bradshaw until 11 years old, then moved to Ovalo where he finished high school.

At Ovalo McCasland was a member of the basketball team and was salutatorian of his graduating class.

He was married last Sept. 25.

In addition to his wife, mother and sister, McCasland is survived by a grandmother, Mrs. Jane L. Graham of Guion. His father, Don McCasland, died seven years ago.

Abilene Reporter-News (Abilene, Texas) - December 29, 1942

YOUNG COACHES FUNERAL TODAY

Funeral for Robert McCasland, 21, graduate of McMurry college and teacher and coach at Abell City in the Permian Basin, was to be held at the Bradshaw Methodist Church at 3 Wednesday afternoon. Burial will follow in the Bradshaw cemetery under direction of Elliott’s Funeral Home.

The Rev. Roscoe Trostle, Ackerly Methodist minister, and the Rev. W. I. Taylor, Ovalo Baptist pastor, will officiate. Pallbearers will be Alton Turnbow, Alvin Papasan, J. B. Bailey, Roy Fisher, Archie Jackson, W. A. McMillon, Ed Donica, Charles Mitchell and D. Jones. Flower girls include Doris Ragsdale, Easter Belle McMillon, Olivia Hunt, Janice Jones and Ivy Zoe Wood.

McCasland died at 3:30 Tuesday morning in a hospital at Monahans from burns received in an oil field explosion on a Stanolind Oil and Gas Company lease in the Abell field in Pecos county. He had been working in the oil fields weekends and holidays while waiting a call to active duty in the Army Air Forces.

Three other fellow workers were burned in the explosion, which was believed to have been caused by sparks from a motor igniting gas around a tank battery. The four men were cleaning an oil storage tank.

McCasland was graduated from McMurry in 1941, and had begun correspondence work toward a master of arts degree from Hardin-Simmons university. He was athletic coach at Bradshaw High School a year before going to Abell City.

He was married to Joyce Landers of Ovalo the past Sept. 25. His wife, his mother, Mrs. Don McCasland of Abilene; a sister, Mrs. W. S. Harrison, 1330 North Seventh; and a grandmother, Mrs. Jane L. Graham of Guion survive. He was born at Bradshaw Nov. 6, 1921.

Abilene Reporter-News (Abilene, Texas) December 30, 1942