Communiqué
WOUB Says Goodbye to Longtime Employee and Friend Holly Kasler
< < Back toKasler worked at WOUB for 18 years
ATHENS, OH – When she laughed, you couldn’t help but laugh with her. Employees of WOUB Public Media are remembering that laugh and that smile today, as they prepare to say goodbye to a coworker who had a tremendous impact on the organization. PersonnelPlus/WOUB Employee Holly Kasler passed away on March 7 at the age of 40.
Kasler worked at WOUB for 18 years as an office assistant. She was born with spina bifida and was paralyzed from the waist down. Kasler supported WOUB’s outreach initiatives, most recently in the station’s Learning Lab.
“Originally, Holly handled lots of mailing projects but as things switched to online there was a need to adjust her work duties. This is about the time the Education Department – WOUB Learning Lab – started up,” said WOUB Educational Service Manager Deborah Brewer. “Holly quickly became invaluable to us. There were so many tasks, that Holly quickly started just working in our space. We really enjoyed chatting with her while she worked. Her favorite task was making buttons. We made buttons of PBS Kids characters that we would distribute at events. Neither of us knew how the button maker worked at first, but together we figured it out, and she became the expert if someone else had a problem. I think she really liked the creative part. I feel like I lost a good friend as well as a coworker.”
“When Holly began working at WOUB, she was very reserved and did not open up to many people. That changed dramatically over the years,” said Kasler’s Former Supervisor Jessica Makosky. “After a short amount of time, you could hear her in the lunchroom laughing and talking with engineers, managers and coworkers alike.”
Kasler was a 2000 graduate of Athens High School and enjoyed country music and watching cooking shows. She became a dear friend of many of her WOUB coworkers.
“The world was a better place with Holly in it, and we’re all better people for having known her,” said Makosky.
“Holly’s office was down the hall from me, so we often passed by each other. Holly was a bright spirit, no matter what difficulties she faced, she was always positive and eager to share a story. She was very dedicated to WOUB,” said WOUB Director of Corporate Support Kathy Malesick.
“She was an important piece of the WOUB machine, both in her job and in her presence. I’ll miss her greatly,” said Former WOUB Employee Gabe Ross.
A funeral service will be conducted today (Friday, March 12) at 11 a.m. at Jagers & Sons Funeral Home in Athens with Rev. Paul Risler officiating. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery in Nelsonville.