David Nicastro: we will miss your physical presence in our lives. This is my reflection on your impact on me and the security industry.
We work all of our lives. Some of us retire with accolades from the organization we worked for; stories and attaboys from our peers. We achieve titles and honorifics that are then dutifully recorded in an obituary after we die. And that is okay. For those left to mourn. Perhaps even necessary.
But every once in awhile you run across somebody who wants to see you shine. And this is the thread that connects David Nicastro to all of us.
Before he contracted cancer, I had him on The Great Conversation Podcast in November 2021, so we could talk about the horrible situation that had occurred with the United States exit out of Afghanistan. several months before.
I urge you to listen to it.
You can hear his voice, filled with emotion, talk about the apex of his career; receiving letters in Dari, one of the official languages of Afghanistan, thanking him and his company for saving their lives. David can only think of one thing, they now had hope and they now had the freedom to pursue their dreams.
For David and his company, Secure Source, this was not unusual. Whether it was an individual in crisis or a community suffering a natural disaster, he was there.. Many of us had him on speed dial because he could feel your sense of urgency and respond in kind.
David, I am still carrying you with me; your smile that could light up a room, your sense of humor, and, most of all your stories of hope and dreams. Enjoy the podcast that is attached to the end of this blog and obituary.
David’s Obituary
David Wayne Nicastro, 71 years old, resident of Hansville, WA, passed away on July 1, 2024, after a year-long battle with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
Dave was born on December 19, 1952, the only child of Domenico Nicastro and Helen Shaffer in Providence, Rhode Island. Dave attended La Salle Academy and went on to join the US Marine Corps in 1971. He was stationed as a Sergeant at the US Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon from 1973-1975.
In 1974, David met Marian Siderius, whose father, Colonel Robert Siderius, was positioned with the US Army as an Attaché in Lebanon. After returning to the United States, David attended the University of Maryland, majoring in criminology, David went on to work in the US Secret Service for President Jimmy Carter. He married Marian in 1977 and they had 3 children: Domenic, Rosemary and Elizabeth.
After leaving the Secret Service, David kickstarted his 40-year career in the private security industry by providing executive protection for dignitaries such as the Saudi royal family and notably the current King of Jordan and his siblings (while they were attending school in Washington, DC). In 1983, David accepted the position of Director of Global Security for Koch Industries in Wichita, Kansas.
In 1993, Dave founded Secure Source International in Grapevine, Texas, selling the company in 2007 and reinstating it again in 2010. He remained President and CEO until the time of his death. Dave loved the security industry, especially traveling the world and meeting people.
Dave was predeceased by his father Domenico and mother Helen as a child, but supported and loved by many aunts, uncles, and cousins, especially his cousins Claudia Nicastro-Batty and Leo Gannon. He is survived by his beloved wife Marian, children Domenic, Rosemary and Elizabeth, and grandchildren Amelia, Makenna, Kieran and Hoss.
Note: We will all be gathering to celebrate him and reconnect in his spirit. Here are the details:
Monday, Aug. 12 @ 2:00pm PDT
Location:
Failla & Hamer Residence
41195 Foulweather Bluff Rd NE
Hansville WA 98340
