Casey was raised in Bethlehem, New Hampshire, where he was a notable presence among his high school class of 12 students. With many stops along the way, he went far from the cool White Mountains to Florida's sunny West Coast. He took great pleasure in sharing the toasty southern temps with his freezing friends wintering up North. Though he relished Florida life, Summer came calling every June when he’d longingly migrate to his brilliant mountains of New England where he would reconnect with his roots at the family lakeside cottage in Island Pond, Vermont.
He first left his hometown upon his enlistment in the United States Air Force in 1943. There, he crewed on a B-25 bomber as a radio man and tail gunner. Stationed in such exotic places as New Guinea, Ie Shima and Borneo, he loved telling World War II stories about his missions over the South Pacific and Japan.
After the war, he took advantage of the GI Bill, attending the University of New Hampshire where he met, courted and landed his partner in crime of 63 years, JoAnn "Campus Kitten” Rydin. This success somewhat relates to the origin of the nickname, "Casey". Even at a tender age, he found “ Ernest", “ Ernie" and especially "Junior" weren't working too well with the girls. Fortuitously, as a boyhood caddy, he frequently wore a jacket emblazoned with "KC", which was about as close as he ever got to the Knights of Columbus. Magically morphing that into “Casey”, he suddenly became a very popular man.
Following graduation, he landed a job with John Hancock in Boston, Massachusetts. Eventually becoming the most successful group insurance salesman in the company's history, he took on increasingly important management roles in Norfolk, Virginia, Philadelphia, PA and finally, New York City. His office there was among the first in the new World Trade Center complex to where he commuted from the family home in Middletown at The Jersey Shore.
Casey's dream career was realized when he combined his own consulting business with many golfing days at The Meadows in Sarasota, Florida. He continued his life-long passion for golf into his 90’s, and even at age 89, scored his 4th hole-in-one. He was elated at his Masters-like victory at Orleans Country Club, Vermont where his name is engraved in the distinguished Winners’ Plaque for the ultra elite Seniors Division Member Guest.
Casey found his greatest joys in his wife, JoAnn; children, Charles, Karen, Nancy and Tom; grandchildren: Kelley, Daniel, Meghan, Shawn, Shannon, Brennan, Henry and Celeste; daughters-in-law: Barbara and Molly. He was much loved and treasured for his kindness, intelligence, generosity and spirited sense of humor.
In honor of Casey’s life well-lived, please donate a smile to someone who might need it.
Services will be held at noon on Saturday, August 11 at St. James Catholic Church in Island Pond, Vermont
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