Olivia de Castanos

All Veterans Funeral & Cremation - Centennial

Altogether<br/>4307 Vineland Road, Suite H-17-19, Orlando, FL 32811<br/>For more information, visit our website at <a href='www.altogetherfuneral.com'>www.altogetherfuneral.com</a><br/>Copyright © 2025 FPG Intermediate Holdco, LLC

Olivia de Castanos was born on December 25, 1952, in Manhattan, New York City. A Christmas baby, she was always miffed that her birthday got mixed up with the holidays. As a result, I, Dan Thomas, her husband, always made sure she got cards and gifts in recognition of both celebrations!

 

She died Wednesday, November 7, in the wee hours of the morning, the Hour of the Wolf, in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Denver, following an 11-hour surgery to repair damaged spinal cord tissue in her neck.

 

Her mother’s family was from Westlake, Louisiana; her father’s from New York City by way of Spain and South America. Olivia came with a Latin temper and a Southern earthiness when she let her guard down.

 

By profession, she was a writer and editor, excellent at both. In fact, as Dan Thomas writes this obituary he wishes Olivia could give it a thorough edit (she never did things in haste). “Do you mind if I make some changes?” she would ask me, knowing full well I realized any copy she edited would “sparkle” under her gifted touch. As a writer, my own ego went by the wayside, with good reason! “You just write too fast,” she would say. A great many other writers (journalists, advertising copywriters) she worked with throughout her professional career learned to trust and respect her editorial judgment.

 

As a young girl, Olivia attended the prestigious Convent of the Sacred Heart School in New York City. There, one of her classmates was Caroline Bouvier Kennedy, daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy. Olivia’s mother, Charlotte, insisted her daughter go there. Olivia’s father, John, an attorney, had his misgivings. “I don’t want my daughter to end up a snob,” he remarked.

 

But Olivia was no snob. She loved people, and people loved her. All her life she battled to overcome her shyness, but you would never know it. She ended her life with meager savings in the bank, but wealth, and I mean a WEALTH of friends. She loved animals, especially dogs. Her father, who could be irascible at times, saw how his daughter related to dogs in Central Park and knew he was doomed to get “the kid” a pup. When a New Orleans uncle of Olivia’s, a merchant marine sea captain, visited the Big Apple with a doxie pup named Midnight in tow, Olivia’s parents knew they had a new member of the family. After Midnight, another dachshund would follow named Chocolate. Years later there would be Gizmo and finally Butternut, presently battling cancer and cocking her head in search of “Mom” every day.

 

Olivia grew into a beauty who loved cosmetics, jewelry, dressing up and purses…lots of purses, her husband now realizes. She could be vain about her looks, but deservedly so.

 

She held a Master of Arts degree in Communications Management (with distinction) from Simmons College, Boston, Massachusetts, and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications/English Literature, cum laude, from the University of New Hampshire.

 

Her professional resume is accomplished. Out of college, she was a reporter/editor on the staff of Publick Occurrences, a historical New Hampshire weekly newspaper. She went on to be a senior writer/public affairs with the internationally renowned Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Burlington, Massachusetts. In Denver, she worked as an advertising copywriter with the famed Denver advertising agency Sam Lusky Associates, where she met me (I was immediately taken by her charming beauty) and many lifelong friends. Other Denver-based jobs included serving as Editor of Publications/Public Relations Office with the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and a quality control copywriter with Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. Her favorite Denver job as an editor with the legendary Rocky Mountain Business Journal. “Newspapering” was in her blood.

 

Her last Denver job found her a telemarketing fundraiser with Telefund. A job that might have seemed out of step for her, save for the important causes she served and the many warm friendships she made there.

 

She was first married to Robert Bisordi, an artist, someone she still cared about. We were married on August 18, 2001, years after we first met (I was an old fogey by then but “Liv” livened me up). The ceremony was witnessed by my parents, Pat & Jack Thomas, my brother David and Olivia’s mother Charlotte. Also present were the ashes of Gizmo the dog. After a wedding lunch at the Wellshire Inn, we honeymooned in Vail.

 

She talked of going to Europe—especially Paris, which she had visited with her Mom—but alas, it never was to be. We did make it to Manhattan twice though, once, sadly, for her father’s funeral. I loved meeting Olivia’s friends and relatives and visiting her schoolgirl haunts, like Sacred Heart and Central Park. Back to Denver, hot dates for us were getting our flu shots together at Kaiser or shopping at King Soopers every Friday. Nights found us ensconced with Butternut in our upstairs bedroom, watching classic movies on TCM. Olivia loved to talk back at the screen and make remarks about actors long since dead and turned to dust. “It’s just an old movie,” I would tell her. Olivia was a real night owl and would prod me when I fell asleep. “Don’t leave me alone,” she would say. Olivia had a child-like innocence that I admired and cherished. She took the death of her mother Charlotte very hard.

 

We had our ups and downs, our tough times, but it was a marriage too brief and filled with laughter and many, many joys. In all respects, she was my editor-in-chief. My heart will ache for her until the day I die.

 

Dan Thomas

When words can't fully express what we want to say, sometimes a small gift can. Visit our Memorial Store for personalized gifts, keepsake jewelry and to plant a memorial tree.

We use cookies to improve your browsing experience and analyze site traffic.
<privacyLink>Privacy Policy</privacyLink>.

<firstParagraph>We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website, store your preferences, and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you. These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent.</firstParagraph><secondParagraph>You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience.</secondParagraph>

<firstParagraph>We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.</firstParagraph><secondParagraph>The cookies that are categorized as 'Necessary' are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site.</secondParagraph>

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

Analytics

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

Functional

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

Necessary

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

Performance

Customize Cookie Preferences

Verification Successful!

New Message

The following files could not be uploaded

Ways you can honor {memorialName}'s memory:

Donation Link

Upcoming Event

Featured Mementos

Welcome Message

Select an item to highlight

Add a highlighted item

Customize which items you’d like to highlight on the memorial

Create Account

Become a Keeper

As a free {brandName} user, you will only be able to make 5 photos and videos public.

As a free {brandName} user, only the first five (5) Mementos are visible to page visitors. You can change which Mementos are public by dragging and dropping a photo or video to one of the first five positions. Upgrading to {brandName} Plus will make all 10 Mementos selected visible to the public.

All Mementos

This option is only available to Keeper Plus users.

To allow yourself and the rest of the community to view all images and videos, and to enable everyone to download their own copy of these mementos, upgrade your account to Keeper Plus.

This memento is not visible to visitors

Your community has posted {itemCount} more pictures and videos that honor {firstName}'s memory. To view them all, and to enable everyone to download their own copy of each, this account will need to upgrade to Keeper Plus.

View all images and videos with Keeper Plus

Our Obituary Assistant helps you craft a meaningful life story in minutes. Review and edit every detail, and unlock more features with Keeper Plus.

Obituary Assistant

Spend as much time as you need working on your Memorial page before it is visible to the public, and much more, when you upgrade to Keeper Plus.

Save Page as Draft

Create unlimited event pages and unlock a suite of powerful features to help you seamlessly coordinate event details, invites, and more when you upgrade to Keeper Plus.

Event

Create a full picture of your loved one’s community and add unlimited family and friends to Loved Ones when you upgrade to Keeper Plus.

Loved One

Create unlimited Memorials — and unlock unlimited images and videos, event pages, and advanced privacy settings — to help you keep memories alive when you upgrade to Keeper Plus.

Memorial Page

Add unlimited Stories to highlight the all the things that made your loved one unique, from milestones, images, albums, documents, locations, and much more.

Highlight Stories

Upgrading to Keeper Plus means you can add additional Keepers to help you gather Mementos and tributes, approve content, build out a family tree, and tell {firstName}' story on Keeper.

Invite Keepers with Keeper Plus

Upload and display unlimited photos and videos, use unlimited Story templates to highlight key moments, and allow friends and family to download their own copies when you upgrade to Keeper Plus. 

Better Mementos with Keeper Plus

To access memorial related configurations that control the display of the banner upgrade to Keeper Plus.

This configuration  is not available on your current plan

Create a meaningful link path to add a personal touch to {firstName}'s memorial.

Custom Memorial link

Gift Messages

SENDING AS A GIFT?

Cart

About 1-800 Flowers

"Flowers were beautiful and they arrived in time before the funeral. Thank you and will purchase more in the future.!"

Hearing Tears

"Beautiful flowers, I've always enjoyed sending them to my love ones for sympathy and they have always love them very much Thanks for making people feel good when receiving them."

Sympathy

"This was true to the photo and good to know family took arrangement after the service."

Beautiful arrangement.  Perfect size for service.

Some of the great things our customers say about us

We're here to make it a little easier, with thoughtful gifts for the services & home, along with expert advice on how to be there during a difficult time.

Flowers

Gift Baskets

Express Your Deepest Sympathy

About Us

Perfect Condolence Gift

No one is meant to grieve alone

Peace and love

Product is made, packaged, and sent with love

Keepsakes

How to add your gift message

Packaging Information

Shipping information

Add a Personalized Charm to the Ornament:

Other Keepsakes

Install KeeperQR onto any headstone, urn, or other memorial in minutes.

Install

Use your phone or tablet to scan the unique code — no other tools required!

Scan

All three of our elegant KeeperQR designs are printed using durable, weather-resistant aluminum designed for indoors and outdoor use on headstones and urns, memorial benches and trees, or other monuments to your loved one’s life

Built to Last

Get <discount>50% off</discount> Keeper Plus with your KeeperQR purchase

Keeper Basic

Learn About Our Plans

Connect the physical and digital worlds to share your loved one’s life story with friends and family, no matter where they are.

KeeperQR Memorial QR Code Plaques

Planting a memorial tree or bereavement tree is a unique, environmentally conscious way to pay tribute and honor the memory of your loved one. Keeper Memorials is supporting American Forests to plant whitebark pine trees as well as thornscrub trees in select regions of the US and Canada.

Memorial Trees

KeeperQR is designed to pair seamlessly with a Keeper digital memorial. Use our FREE intuitive tools to create biographies, maps, and timelines, share photos and videos, and more with customizable features built to commemorate your loved one’s life’s story.

Powered by Keeper

Lifetime without any hidden costs or subscription traps

One time payment

Keeper is SOC2 compliant, keeping your memories safe and secure.

Data protection guaranteed

We bring your QR Codes to any corner of the globe

Worldwide Shipping

Our durable and beautiful QR code plaques create seamless connection between your loved one’s physical memorial and their digital memorial, allowing visitors to their final resting place instant access to their life legacy.

Memorial.

Honor their memory, share their story

A KeeperQR is a weather-resistant plaque with a custom QR code that links directly to your loved one’s digital memorial. When placed on a headstone, urn, bench, or tree, it allows friends and family to scan and view their life story instantly

What is a KeeperQR?

They’re built to withstand outdoor elements and adhere to most surfaces.

Where can I place the KeeperQR?

How does it work?

Frequently asked questions

KeeperQR

E-Certificate Design

Plant Memorial Trees as a Living Tribute

BRAZIL

CANADA

FLORIDA

OREGON

Memorial Project Reach

Memorial trees start at {price} per tree, with discounts for multiple trees

Our Commitment

Gift Baskets & Food

Keeper Plus

QR Plaques

Keepers Featured Products

A Greener Way to Remember

Learn about our Partners:

Help Us Complete Your Order

Remembrance Store

Through your unique link, your client can sign up for Keeper and create a Memorial for a loved one. When the Memorial page is completed by the family, it will appear on your microsite and website. You will be the main Keeper Administrator of the Memorial, along with the family member that created the page.

Invite Your Clients to Create a Memorial

Invite Families

Your Email Notifications

Notifications

Email Unsubscribe Settings

Other Settings

With your active Keeper PLUS subscription, you get unlimited access to a suite of powerful features:

Allow visitors to download a local copy of all images and videos.

Download Media

Create a custom and meaningful URL, unique to your loved one, for each Memorial page.

Editable URL

Plan public or private events and invite your loved ones.

Event Pages

Add images and create profile pages to illustrate the history and genealogy of your loved one.

Family Tree

Invite unlimited administrators to help you manage every Memorial page you have.

Keeper Administrators

Visitors enjoy unrestricted access to all uploaded images and videos.

Unlimited Media

Create unlimited Memorial pages for your loved ones.

Memorial Pages

You will be able to upload Full HD videos instead of embedded links.

Video Uploading

Your Profile

Add a business user

Edit a business user

Are you sure you want to delete these users from these brands? You will need to manually add these users again.

If the user is a part of multiple brands, you will have to delete the user from each one individually

Delete Users from Brands?

Users Settings & Notifications

Users

Are you sure you want to delete these users? This action will revoke their privileges across all brands.

Are you sure you want to delete this user? This action will revoke their privileges across all brands.

Delete Users from all Brands?

Delete User from Brand?

Are you sure you want to delete {totalDeletes} from this user?

Delete Roles from this User?

Are you sure you want to delete this user from this brand? You will need to manually add this user again.

Delete User from this Brand?

Requires users to confirm their email every time they would like to share a tribute on a Memorial page.

When Email Tribute Validation is turned OFF, Guest users do not need to confirm their email address before their tribute is published.

When Email Tribute Validation is turned ON, Guest users will need to confirm their email address before their tribute is published. They will receive an email with a confirmation link they must click.

Requires users to confirm their email only the first time they would like to share a tribute on a Memorial page.

Email Tribute Validation

If Flagged Content is turned OFF, content that has been flagged will remain public until they have been Approved or Removed from the Requests Center.

If Flagged Content is turned ON, content that has been flagged will be hidden until they have been Approved or Removed from the Requests Center.

Hide Flagged Content

Language

Email Notifications

Are you sure you want to delete the Memorial for {name}? This action will permanently remove the memorial from the system.

Delete Memorial?

When Memorial Request Moderation is turned OFF, Memorials will automatically be published.

When Memorial Request Moderation is turned ON, Memorials will only be published if and when you approve them. Memorials can be published or deleted in the Requests center.

Memorial Request Moderation

Moderation Settings

This will permanently delete your account. The business account, and business page will not be deleted. To deactivate your account, there must be another admin user assigned to your organization.

Are you sure you want to deactivate this account?

When Override Tribute Moderation is turned OFF, the tribute moderation settings on Memorial pages will be hidden and other Keepers cannot override the tribute moderation settings specified by your organization.

When Override Tribute Moderation is turned ON, other Keepers can view and change the tribute moderation settings of the Memorial pages they manage. (Each Memorial page will default to the organization’s tribute moderation setting upon creation.) 

Override Tribute Moderation

If the AI Content Moderation is OFF, text areas containing profane language will be published.  Tributes can however be flagged and removed at any time.

If the AI Content Moderation is ON, text areas containing profane language will not be published and the user will receive an error message.

AI Content Moderation

When Tribute Moderation is turned OFF, Tributes will automatically be published. Once published, users can flag inappropriate or spam content. You can instantly delete any Tributes published on a Memorial that you administer.

When Tribute Moderation is turned ON, Tributes will only be published if and when you approve them. Tributes can be approved or rejected in the Requests center.

Olivia de Castanos Obituary | Altogether