Name to a Face: Bob Casagrande

Bob Casagrande was born and raised in Montana. He was raised on his grandparents ranch (The Salvagni Ranch) and was there every summer.

He officially took roots in Whitehall in 1969, which was the same year he graduated from the University of Montana Western, married, and signed on to a teaching position in Butte, Montana.

His degree from Western was in Elementary Education and started his work in Butte with intermediate classes. He was a popular teacher teaching 5th grade for most of his career, twenty-six years to be exact. He spent every day going over the hill to teach his students. He has even kept in touch with some, such as Sam Heppler. Bob says the only thing he did not like about teaching was the administration and some parents. He retired from the teaching world in 1995.

Bob is very proud to have spent these many years teaching, but also working on his ranch, where he raised two boys and two girls with Terrie Casagrande. He says it was one of the best places to raise children. They got the full experience of being on a ranch.

At first they started with milk cows and slowly gained beef cattle. Over time they switched the milk cows out and went entirely to beef cattle, though they always kept at least one cow for milk.

Bob had his house built in 1974 to have his own space off of the Salvagni Ranch. He still lives in that very house to this day. He says frequently that "I went from a low paying teaching job to a no paying ranching job." The money for a small time rancher is slim but he has enjoyed the ranching life.

He enjoyed the community his ranch was in and did not struggle between ranch life, teaching, and family life. The bus became like a babysitter to the kids as soon as they would be picked up for school in the morning Bob and Terrie would head over the hill to work.

The Casagrandes decided to sell all the cattle in 2018 and Bob enjoys the free time he now has.

Bob still irrigates and sells off hay, but he loves to spend time with his older cars. When he was in college he had a 55 Chevy and later had been looking for something like it after he had sold it off. Bob and Terrie invested their money in 1982 on a 57 Chevy and a convertible. They still have the convertible, which they love to show off when they are able. With their new found free time they go to more car shows in Montana and around the country; even attending the 2013 National Chevy Impala 50th Year Car Show in Spearfish, South Dakota.

Bob Casagrande enjoys his retirement and enjoys doing the work that he does have. He is one of the most hardworking and well versed ranchers you will ever meet. His hobbies, jobs, and life have made him into a wonderful gentleman.