Thomas O. Kacinko dedicated his life to helping people. He was a caseworker with Allegheny County Children & Youth Services for many years, and before that he worked in drug and alcohol rehabilitation with The Salvation Army.

In his free time, Mr. Kacinko volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America.

"It was just his calling," said his sister, Carol Kacinko. "God put him on Earth to help other people."

Mr. Kacinko, of Plum, died from renal failure Wednesday at Forbes Regional Hospital. He was 58.

Larry Timmerman, who worked with Mr. Kacinko at CYS, considered him his mentor.

"He was very conscientious, well-respected," he said. "He always went out of his way to help people."

Mr. Kacinko was an optimist, Mr. Timmerman said, who was always able to put even the worst situation in a positive light.

Ms. Kacinko, of Tampa, Fla., admired her brother for spending his life working with others.

"So many of us are still trying to figure out our purpose in this life," she said.

As a child, Mr. Kacinko was a Boy Scout, eventually rising to the rank of Eagle Scout. He continued his interest in the organization as an adult, serving as a counselor at Camp Twin Echo in New Florence.

In recent years, as poor health limited his activities, Mr. Kacinko began playing bridge. He participated in a number of local tournaments and was a master point bridge tournament winner.

He also enjoyed playing chess and collecting coins.

Mr. Kacinko served a short stint in the Navy in 1968, but was medically discharged for sleepwalking -- something he'd done since childhood, Ms. Kacinko said.

He was a member of American Legion Post 820.

In addition to his sister, Mr. Kacinko is survived by his father, Louis J. Kacinko, of Plum.

Visitation will be held today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at Gene H. Corl Funeral Chapel, 4335 Northern Pike, Monroeville, where a funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow.

Burial will follow in the veterans' section of Restland Cemetery in Monroeville.

Donations may be made to Adelphoi Village, 1119 Village Way, Latrobe, PA 15650.