My Eulogy

We are here today to celebrate the life of Marc David Casciani and to say goodbye to a wonderful man. Death is always sad, but if there was ever a case to celebrate, this would be it.

For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Louis Casciani III, the first of his seven grandchildren and the namesake of Louis Casciani Jr., my great great grandfather who was decorated with a Purple Heart for his service in the Pacific Theater in World War II.

I would like to thank you for coming today to mourn the loss of my grandfather, Marc, who I affectionately called Pap C.

He was born October 8, 1969, in Monongahela, PA. However, I think of him as being from Wexford, where he raised my dad, Dallas, and aunt Jarah.

He was especially close to his good friend, Marty Muchnok, who is dad’s godfather. Together they built a”shinning city on a hill” in the insurance industry, which would not have been possible without the contributions of many of you here today. Their relationship dates back to high school, but their friendship did not blossom until they matured as disciples of Jesus Christ. They shared many experiences together, some good and some bad, all which served to unite them in purpose. Along with Marty, he leaves a legacy at FNB Insurance of which we are very proud.

What I am most grateful for is the testimony he leaves behind at MindWolves.com. It is his crowning achievement. It is the fruit of his labor, pain and joy. I know God in Heaven is greeting him with open arms saying, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.“

His favorite Bible verse was Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Pap’s purpose in life was to help people discover who they want to be. With a tender heart and tough hide, he helped them put a stake in the ground and take control of their future. The one that God wanted them to have. The one that was intended for them. 

He helped people build meaningful relationships. First with God. Then with everyone else. He helped them experience joy, no matter the circumstance. He built a community around the world, which he called his pack, whose members exhibit character qualities conducive to living a life of significance and contribute their stories to MindWolves.com. I know many of you here are part of his “One Pack”.

He helped people discover their craft, that thing which they like doing from moment to moment, day after day, year after year. “It’s work that doesn’t seem like work. Once this is discovered, you become a ‘Jack of One Trade’“, he would assert.

A week ago today, I made a surprise visit to Pap C at his home in Wexford during lunch. When I got there, he was already eating with his French Bulldog, Manny. Their backs were towards me so they could not see me coming. As I tip toed, I noticed them enjoying each other’s company. It reminded me how much Pap C cherished the “moments of life”, a love I saw him model consistently. He taught me our main purpose in life is to love and be loved, and he demonstrated it over and a over.

When I tapped him on his shoulder, he turned, looked at me and started to cry. He was so happy to see me. I pulled up a chair, sat down, Manny jumped on my lap, and I had one of the best conversations I ever had with Pap. He had been through a lot the last three months since his heart attack, and I could see the effect on his body, yet he was full of life. His mind was as sharp as ever. We talked about all the things he and Manny were planning to do that day, and he shared the topic of his next story at MindWolves, which was slated to be written Sunday morning, a weekly ritual he had performed the past 50 years without fail.  He also repeatedly told me how much he loved me.

As I was leaving, I had a feeling it may be the last time I’d chat with him. It was. I am so grateful for getting that opportunity.

What became of Pap’s final story at MindWovles? Well, he wrote it, but I found it in draft form. So I decided to take the baton and publish it for him. In hindsight, I believe God gave us that final moment together as a passing of the torch. MindWolves is his gift to me. It’s my inheritance.

Goodbye, Pap. We all loved you very much and will miss you tremendously. Don’t worry about Manny. I’ll take care of him. And don’t worry about your pack, they’re in good hands.

Rest in peace, Pap C. I love you.

—

There’s no better exercise than to write how you want to be remembered. You’re in control. Don’t waste another second. Discover who you want to be. 

Humbly,

Marc (the future Pap C)