James Earl Casey

James Earl Casey passed away on March 19, 2016, just short of his 85th birthday on April 6, 1931 after a struggle with congestive heart failure, and now rests peacefully with his Lord and Savior. Earl was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He lived a full life of honesty and faithfulness to his family and friends.

Earl was the son of the late W. B. (Will) Casey and Mattie Roberts Casey. He was born in Turkey, NC, and moved to Wallace during his early years. He was one of ten children with brothers Bill, Renville and Arnold, and sisters Polly, Nancy, Bertha, Grace, Rachel and Frances. Earl was an avid sports fan and lettered in football, basketball and baseball at Wallace High School where he was a 1949 graduate. Growing up in Wallace he met the love of his life, Margaret Ann Carr. Earl and Margaret Ann were married at the Wallace Presbyterian Church and were blessed with 62 ½ years of a loving and devoted relationship together.

Earl will be remembered for his 67 year-long loyalty and avid fan of NC State University where he graduated with a degree in Structural Engineering in 1953. While attending college, he was in the Air Force ROTC, and began his career upon graduation at Edwards AFB, CA. He went on to work with the federal government at Seymour Johnson AFB, in Goldsboro, NC. Earl moved to Arlington, VA in 1960 to begin a career with the Veterans Administration where he became Chief of Construction on Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals around the United States. He remained with the VA until his retirement after 38 years with the federal government in 1991.

Upon retirement, he remained in Northern Virginia at his Annandale residence until moving to Powhatan, VA in 1992 and had been living in Midlothian, VA since 2002. After his retirement from the federal government, Earl was employed by the Commonwealth of Virginia for five years as the Clerk of the Works on the J. Sargent Reynolds downtown Richmond, VA campus addition, and the John Tyler Community College campus in Midlothian, VA.

Earl is survived by his wife, Margaret Ann Carr, and sisters Grace Knowles of Wallace, NC and Frances Jones of Jonesboro, GA , along with his sons Robert Earl Casey and his wife Linda of Midlothian, VA, and James William Casey and his wife Kathy of Cocoa Beach, FL, daughter Susan Ann Tzaferis and her husband Jimmy of Gainesville, VA. Surviving grandchildren include Stephanie Casey, Kristin Casey Kecman, Kevin and Jessica Casey, and Sasha and Kosta Tzaferis. Great grandchildren include Kaitlyne Casey and Casey Kecman.

A graveside memorial service will be held to celebrate Earl’s life on Wednesday, April 6, 2016, at 11:00 am at the Rockfish Cemetery in Wallace, NC. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions be made to the American Heart Association at www.donatenow.heart.org in Earl’s memory.