Casimiro "Casey" Benigno Hernandez

HERNANDEZ, Casimiro Benigno "Casey" of Tampa passed away Monday, June 1, 2020. Born in Tampa, Florida, Casey was the grandson of Casimiro Hernandez Sr., the founder of the Columbia Restaurant in Ybor City, Florida's oldest restaurant founded in 1905. Casey grew up in Ybor City and attended Philip Shore Elementary and Hillsborough High School. He also attended Georgia Military Academy, but matriculated from the Severn School in Severna Park, Maryland, a prep school for the U.S. Naval Academy. Casey's high school and college years were marked by his athletic prowess and accolades as a lacrosse player for both Severn and the University of Maryland. While at Severn, Casey lettered in wrestling, lacrosse, and football, and in 1947, he was awarded the McCormack Unsung Hero of the Week award for defense in lacrosse. That same year he was invited to play in the national All Star Game at St. Johns University in Baltimore. Casey took great pride in being a member of the ATO fraternity at Maryland and it was during an ATO-Tri Delta mixer that he met, Ruth Kimball of Alexandria, Virginia, the woman who was to become his wife. Casey was drafted and served in the United States Army at Ft. Jackson, SC and Ft. Benning, GA. On May 1, 1954, during his military service, Ruth and Casey wed in a beautiful ceremony held at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Alexandria, Virginia. Thereafter, Casey returned to Tampa to take a more active part in the family business as part owner of the Columbia Restaurant with his uncle, Casimiro Hernandez Jr. and his brother, Lawrence Hernandez Jr. In 1956, he and his brother sold their interest in the Columbia to their Uncle Casimiro, whose grandsons, Richard Gonzmart and Casey Gonzmart, now own and have continued to protect, preserve, enhance, and expand the historic restaurant. Since that time, Casey has been involved in numerous business ventures locally and also in Cuba, Colombia, French Guiana, and Texas in various industries including citrus, shrimping, restaurant management, and hospital services, and horse and dog racing. Casey was also a long time Rotarian and board member of the Ybor City Rotary Club, a board member of the Centro Asturiano, a charter member of the Krewe of Venus, and a Knight of the Krewe of San't Yago. Casey is predeceased by his wife, Ruth Kimball Hernandez; his father, Lawrence Hernandez Sr.; his mother, Gloria Hernandez; his brother, Lawrence Hernandez Jr.; his uncles, Casimiro Hernandez Jr., Gustavo Hernandez, and Evelio Hernandez; his cousin and Godmother, Adela Hernandez-Gonzmart; and his niece, Gloria Hernandez Dabolt. He is survived by his four children, Kim Hernandez Vance, Lawrence Casimiro Hernandez (Therese), Michael Whitney Hernandez (Rebecca), and Christopher Paul Hernandez (Danielle); his niece, Elizabeth "Tiddly" Hernandez; his eight grandchildren, Chase Roulston Vance, Hailey Therese Hernandez, John Casimiro Hernandez, Brett Lawrence Vance, Hope Elizabeth Hernandez, Gerard Michael Hernandez, Christian Patrick Hernandez, and Gianna Valentina Hernandez, as well as many cousins and great-nieces and nephews. A visitation, Catholic service, and burial will be held Friday, June 12, 2020 beginning at 9 am at Blount & Curry Funeral Home, 4207 E. Lake Ave, Tampa, FL 33610.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to The Ronald McDonald House.