Riley Casto

Riley Michel Casto, age 14, was born in Oceanside, California, on March 19th, 2007, to Sheena Atwell and Jeffrey Casto. Riley's journey ended on February 3, 2022, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Riley has joined hands with her grandmother, Wilda Michel, and great grandmother, Barbara Livingston, and is survived by her parents, Sheena Atwell and Jeffrey and Brittney Casto; a brother, Joseph Nicholson; great grandparents, Rasamee Michel, Isabelino and Noy Vasquez-Rodriguez; grandparents, Kevin and Betsy Michel, Catherine Casto, and Michael and Tai Hucks, in addition to her large extended family and close friends.

Riley attended Nathan Hale High School in Tulsa as a freshman. While also adored by the faculty, Riley consistently displayed her intellectual acumen in all of her classes always striving for diligent excellence. In her 7th grade year at Memorial Junior High School, Riley discovered a love for violin of which she took with her to high school playing in the school orchestra. She could also be found tucked away in her room teaching herself new songs to hone her passion for music and the violin. Moreover, Riley found a fondness for volley ball in middle school and high school.

From the moment that Riley entered the world, she captured the heart of everyone she came in contact with. Her charismatic and bright personality was evident from before she could even speak. As Riley grew older, her tenacity for life and love blossomed into expressions of song and color of which she shared with the world around her. She was blessed with an angelic voice and tone that could give goose bumps to those who listened to her harmonize with the Frozen soundtrack. This expression, furthered by her touch of paint and ink to paper, became her ultimate passion and used as the medium to depict words she couldn't verbalize to those she loved. She also came into a love for baking that she also used to bring happiness to those around her, whether it be making dinner for her family and friends or baking a special birthday cake from scratch. No matter the occasion, she wanted to gift a piece of herself to that person.

While words dampen the reality of who Riley was to her family and friends, she can be described as a lighthouse for those close to her. Riley brought not only light to the darkest moments for some, but also a zeal and fervor to those in her company. Riley can be remembered by those moments where she made oddly expressive facial expressions to lighten the mood or even a quippy dad joke. Her bubbly and intellectual mind made for lighthearted but astute conversations about life and everything surrounding it. Riley enjoyed the personal moments with her people; family dinners, sleepovers, trips to the mall, camping, pedicures, or just long car rides singing loud and obnoxious. She loved it all and cherished every moment.

In the private company of her parents and brother, Riley remained constant as the vivacious character that most others experienced. Riley can be remembered for her diligent compassion, optimism, and making sure that her family's happiness was paramount over her own. Beyond Riley's selflessness towards her parents and brother, she also brought a lighthearted goofiness to their lives by announcing herself with boisterous squawking and inundating them with her favorite companion, Puddles. Riley's affinity for Puddles could be found all over the country between her dad's motorcycle saddlebags in California to staging an army of Puddles in Oklahoma. Riley's eclectic style was refreshing to the world around her, yet again, bringing color and light.

Services will be held 4:00 PM Saturday February 12, 2022 at Schaudt's Tulsa Funeral Service Chapel, 5757 S. Memorial Drive, Tulsa, Oklahoma with a reception to follow.

Arrangements are entrusted to Schaudt Tulsa Funeral Service. Family and friends may send memories and condolences to the family online, www.schaudtfuneralservice.com