Carmine J. Caso of Waltham passed away peacefully at his home (as he always wanted) on Friday, May 18, 2018. He was born on July 31, 1932, in Boston, the oldest son of the late Antonio and Francesca (Guisto) Caso. He was the beloved husband of Claire Marie (Lyons) Caso. On May 5, 1962 (fifty-six years ago), while living in Watertown, Carmine married the girl next door, Claire, the love of his life. They always wanted a big family with a house full of children and that is exactly what they had – a full house!
In his early days while living in Boston’s North End (he loved his Italian heritage), he attended Boston Latin High School and attended Saint Leonard’s Church. Upon graduation from high school, he attended Boston College where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics in May 1954. In October 1954 he joined the United States Army and was a Korean War Veteran. While serving the country he loved, he was stationed at several bases. His favorite military location was in Germany where he was able to travel throughout Europe with his army buddies.
He held several technical positions while in the workforce. His first job was at Wolf Research and Development Corporation working on a design for NASA which required him to temporarily relocate to Houston, Texas, for a year back in 1965. When he returned to Massachusetts, he completed his work at Wolf. In July 1970, he began working as a Computer Specialist for the Department of Transportation at the Volpe Center in Cambridge for thirty-six years before his retirement. Everyone who walked into his office couldn’t help but notice the large poster of Elizabeth Taylor, his Hollywood crush.
Carmine enjoyed anything and everything sports, especially the Boston teams – Bruins, Celtics, Patriots and Red Sox. He always said the best way to watch a game was from ‘his chair’ in his own house. When his children were young (and then later his grandchildren), he enjoyed watching them all play their sports and other social activities. Family was always the most important thing to him – his wife, his children, his grandchildren and all.
Carmine remained close to a small group of his childhood friends. What began as a grammar schoolyard friendship turned into a lifelong brotherhood. As they grew into adults, a weekly card game was their thing with lots of catching up on the week, candy snacks and a good game of poker for pennies. The card club continued well into their later years. Although the weekly game did come to a stop, their friendship did not. The card club evolved into the breakfast club – a monthly breakfast get-together.
Carmine also had a few other passions – cooking, old movies, politics and his faith. He was a longtime member of Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Parish in Waltham (his eight children all attended the school). At any given time, if you happened to drop by the house, you would find him either standing over the stove cooking or watching a food show on TV learning about a new recipe or two. Although he was adventurous with his food likes, his wife, Claire, was not, so he enjoyed a night out at a new restaurant with his family to try something different. He was a humble man who had a daily regiment and did not take to change too easily. In the words he so often spoke . . . “God bless”.
He is survived by his wife, Claire Marie (Lyons) of Waltham, his sister-in-law, Lorraine Frances (Lyons) Rielly of Waltham, his eight children – Michelle Caso Simpson and her husband Robert of Haverhill; Catherine Mary Caso Heath of Beverly; Michael Gerard Caso of Burlington; David Francis Caso of Waltham; Claire Marie Caso O’Connell and Timothy of Waltham; Laura Caso Applewhite and her husband Willie of New Braunfels, Texas; Maria Elena Caso of Waltham; and Christopher Thomas Caso and his wife Ann (Jones) of Uxbridge. He was the proud Papa of thirteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. And, his brother, Anthony Joseph Caso and his wife Sandra (Parziale) of Boston. He is also survived by many other family members and friends.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend his calling hours on Friday, May 25 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at the Nardone Funeral Home, 373 Main Street, Watertown. His funeral will be held on Saturday, May 26 starting at 8:00am at the funeral home followed by a Funeral Mass of Christian Burial at 9:00am at Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 920 Trapelo Road, Waltham. Burial with Military Honors will follow at Saint Patrick Cemetery, 999 Belmont Street, Watertown. In lieu of flowers, contributions are kindly asked to be made in his memory to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 920 Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA 02452, www.olca.org.