George L. Casler

GEORGE LOUIS CASLER
Ithaca - George Louis Casler, age 85 of 450 Savage Farm Drive, Ithaca, New York, died on June 12th,
2015. George was born on September17, 1929 at Litchfield, Herkimer County, New York, the son of
Charles B. And Nellie Donahoe Casler. He was raised on the family dairy farm. He graduated from
West Winfield Central School (now Mt. Markham) in 1946 as Valedictorian of his class. He entered
the College of Agriculture at Cornell where he was a member of Alpha Zeta honorary agricultural
fraternity and graduated with a Bachelor of Science with distinction 1950. After Cornell, he farmed in
Cortland and then Seneca County at Sheldrake where he met Patricia Hungerford and they were
married in 1955. Pat and George celebrated their so- anniversary in 2005 at the Sheldrake Point
Vineyard which IS located on the farm that they owned and operated early in their marriage and their
60th anniversary at Glenora Winery on March 19th, 2015.
After a back injury in 1958, George returned to Cornell and earned a Master's degree in Agricultural
Economics in 1959. He worked as a farm management extension specialist at Cornell 1959-62. In
1962, he entered Purdue University and was awarded a PhD in Agricultural Economics in 1966. He
returned to Cornell in 1965 as Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics and became a Professor in
1975. George was involved in teaching, research and extension. He was a leading member of a team
of Cornell Agricultural Economists that won the Outstanding Extension Program award from the
American Association of Agricultural Economics for an educational program on the Federal Dairy
Buyout Program. At the time of his retirement from Cornell in 1995, he was presented with an
Excellence Award by the New York State Association of County Agricultural Agents for his work in
Farm Management Extension. George was a member of the American Association of Agricultural
Economics and served on several regional and national committees related to the AAEA. He was a
member of the Northeast and North Central farm management extension committees. He was co-author
of a chapter in a book on nutrient pollution from run off from farmland. This book and a Cornell
bulletin were translated into Japanese. He also co-authored a text book in 1977 with Richard Aplin and
Cheryl P. Francis titled Capital Investment Analysis. For many years after, his former students would
tell him how they used this resource all the time. For 18 years he worked with Accountants and
Lawyers on the changes each year in farmers income tax.
He was a lifetime member of the American Wine Society where he and Pat were involved in many of
the national meetings. George was the chairman of the (Cayuga) chapter for many years. He was a
member of City Club of Ithaca, a group of fellows who meet for lunch once a week.
George served on the Corporation Board of Alpha Zeta fraternity and was a long term Treasurer. He
also served two 3 year terms as treasurer of the Cornell College of Agriculture Charitable Trust which
provides financial assistance to students in the college.
George is survived by his wife Patricia and sons William (Lynne Kohring) Casler of Cincinnati, Ohio,
Donald (Barbara Flynn) Casler of Garden City, New York and Dale (Carol DiGiacomo) Casler of
Ithaca. Three grandson, Donald Jr., Jack,. and Michael. He is survived by three brothers Homer Casler
of West Exeter, N.Y, Robert Casler of Nelliston, N.Y., and Richard Casler of Herkimer, N.Y. He was
predeceased by his parents, three brothers, Fred, James and Stanley and by sister Ruth Casler Paddock
and Doris Casler Wagner (James) of Fayetteville, New York
A celebration of George's life will be on July 25th, 2015 at 2 P.M. At Kendal at Ithaca, 2230 North
Triphammer Road, Ithaca, N,Y. Contributions can be made to Cals Charitable Trust, Cals Alumni
affairs and development office in the college of Agriculture, C/O Kristine Lange. Cornell University,
Ithaca, N.Y. 14853. The United Way of Tompkins, or a Charity of ones choice.