Leo Casagrande

Leo Casagrande, 87, of Ludlow, passed away on Aug. 4, 2014 in the comfort of his home, surrounded by his loving family. Born at home on Brookfield Street on May 9, 1927, he was the son of the late Luigi and Josephine (Santini) Casagrande. Leo was a graduate and class president of Ludlow High School's Class of 1945, and was a longtime faithful communicant of the former St. Mary of the Assumption Church and currently of The Catholic Community of St. Elizabeth. Leo was a U.S. Navy veteran proudly serving his country during World War II, and continued on to become a 1955 graduate of American International College with a degree in economics. After graduating, he was employed by Springfield Ordinance as a district organization and methods examiner training in Rockville, Ill., and New York City. He then received his master's degree and CAGS from Springfield College. From 1955 to 1973, Leo was employed by the Amherst school system as a social studies teacher, department chairman, guidance counselor and assistant principal, and then principal of Amherst Regional Middle School. In 1973, he was selected by the National Association of Secondary School Principals as one of 25 secondary administrators in the United States to visit and evaluate the school systems in the Eastern European Bulgaria, Hungary, Leningrad and Moscow. Leo was also appointed by Gov. Frank Sargent to the Citizens Task Force on Civic Education Development for the Commonwealth of Mass. He was a member of the Ludlow Teacher Association, Italian Cultural Center of Western Mass, and American Legion Post 52 in Ludlow; taught creative writing and English classes at STCC to returning veterans; served on the board of trustees at Hubbard Memorial Library; and served as president of the Italian Social Club of Ludlow for over 20 years. In 1985, Leo was selected as a Fulbright Scholar to study at the University of Perugia, Italy, and was a lifetime member of the Fulbright Association. In 2012, he was inducted into the Ludlow High School Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the LHS Western Mass Golf Championship Team of 1945. Leo was proud of all his accomplishments, but his greatest passion in life was his family: his late parents Luigi and Josephine Casagrande; beloved brothers Louis A. Casagrande and wife Phyllis, and Henry J. Casagrande and wife Gretchen, all of Ludlow; cherished nieces and nephews; Thomas Casagrande, Angelo Casagrande, Kathleen Palatino, Daniel Casagrande, Christine Casagrande, Angela Tyre and Henry Casagrande Jr., and their families. Leo's family also wishes to extend their gratitude for the exceptional care they received from the entire staff of Mercy Hospice, especially Mike Williams and Andrea Schempp, and to Leo's grandnephew Sean Palatino. Funeral services for Leo were Aug. 8 at Ludlow Funeral Home, with Liturgy of Christian Burial in St. Elizabeth Parish followed by burial in St. Aloysius Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Lustgarten Foundation, 1111 Stewart Avenue Bethpage, NY 11714 (www.lustgarten.org); for pancreatic cancer research. For additional information, please visit www.ludlowfuneralhome.com