Donald Evans Casciato, of Bridgeport, passed away unexpectedly in his sleep on Aug. 14, 2016 on his 79th birthday. Born in Chicago in 1937, he was the son of the late Dominick and Norma Evans Casciato and grew up in Collingswood, N.J. After graduating from Penn State University with a degree in history, he served in the US Army at Fort Dix, N.J. He was an avid journalist for more than 50 years, having worked for the Baltimore Sun, the Philadelphia Enquirer, the Hartford Courant, New Haven Register, and a number of other newspapers from Vermont to Germany. More recently he worked for the Bridgeport Post and the Westport News as a reporter and editor. Although he retired in 2008, he continued to enthusiastically follow current events in the papers, on TV and talk radio. In the months before his passing, he followed the current presidential election vigilantly with a mix of fascination, bewilderment and morbid curiosity. He had a truly lively mind and questioned everything–and he'd often take the opposite side of an argument just to see where it would lead. He liked to complain when he felt things weren't being done properly–the word "curmudgeon" comes to mind. He loved politics, newspapers, travel (especially England and Ireland), watching old movies on TCM, and all dogs and cats. Don met Maggie Cumming in 1974 while they were both living and working in New York City. They married on Dec. 11, 1976. An offer of a position with the Bridgeport Telegram brought them to Connecticut, where their sons Tom and James were born and raised. Besides his beloved wife and sons, Don leaves to mourn his double-cousins, Alice Harrell and Vicki Ross, cousins, Eunice Kreider and Allie Mercado, brother-in-law, Alec Cumming, niece, Julia Cumming, sister-in-law, Cathie Cumming, nephews, Glen and Robbie Urban, and a pugnacious orange tabby named Harold. He was truly a gentle man, a loving husband and caring father. There will be visitation and viewing on Wednesday, Aug. 17 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Redgate-Hennessy Funeral Home, 4 Gorham Place and Main St., Trumbull. Burial will be private at the convenience of his family. Friends and family are invited to gather after the visitation at Testo's Restaurant in Bridgeport. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Thomas Merton House of Hospitality, 43 Madison Ave., Bridgeport, CT 06604 where Don had previously volunteered.