Eugene "Gene" Stokes Casey

WEAVERVILLE – Eugene (“Gene”) Stokes Casey, age 86, passed away peacefully on February 9, 2026, at his home in Weaverville, NC surrounded by his family.

Surviving him are his loving wife of 60 years, Lee Casey; daughters, Nancy Casey, Karen Casey and husband Scott Shepard, and Jenny Casey Schoenauer and partner Shawn Toelcke; grandchildren, Bennett Schoenauer and Nathan Shepard-Casey; his sister, Betsey Casey Metz; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by sisters, Nancy Kelly, and Virginia Visnich; and brothers-in-law, Ferd Kelly, George Visnich, and David Metz.

Gene’s was a life well-lived. He was born on July 13, 1939, in Washington, DC to the late Eugene Bernard and Helon Stokes Casey. He claimed to remember his own birth, saying it was the hottest day of the summer. He spent his childhood in Coral Gables, FL with summers on the family farm in Gaithersburg, MD where he proudly raised his heifers and drove a tractor. He graduated from Cornell University in 1960 with a degree in political science, and then served in the United States Army in Bad Eibling, Germany. Upon returning he went to work for his father at Casey Engineering, and later started his own company, Casey Property Services. In 2000, he became a charter pilot and began the part of his professional career that he truly enjoyed.

Gene met Lee at a dance in 1966 when she cut in line to get a beer and the couple were married within the year. From then on, they often said “ain’t love grand”. They raised Nancy, Karen, and Jenny in Bethesda and Rockville, MD and his life revolved around “his 4 girls.” In fact, all his life, Gene was surrounded by strong women he loved – from his mother and sisters, Lee and his daughters, and dear friends Katty, Kate and Leslie. Later, he welcomed his daughters’ partners, Shawn and Scott, into the fold, and was heartened to have two good men sharing the family dinner table. The birth of his grandsons, Bennett and Nathan, brought him so much joy, and he relished watching our boys grow.

Gene’s interests and accomplishments were far-ranging. He was a classical music lover and aficionado. At age 50, he learned to play the timpani and was very proud of his participation in the 2011 BSO Academy where he performed with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He also played with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra and served on the Board of Directors of the Asheville Symphony Orchestra, where he spearheaded efforts with the youth orchestra. He was a life-long learner and devoured hundreds of books over his lifetime, immersing himself in far-ranging topics, from history to psychology to quantum physics. He had a prodigious vocabulary and took great pleasure in using it. He was an expert in finances and investments, and served in advisory roles for banks and civic organizations. Each day he read at least three newspapers and was passionate about staying current on politics and world events. An active volunteer with the Democratic party, he and his daughter knocked on doors for many elections. Strengthening and protecting human and civil rights were at the core of his ethos. For many years, he helped lead the Gaithersburg Rotary Club as president and was honored as a Paul Harris Fellow. As a mental health advocate, he volunteered for a suicide hotline with the nickname of “Skippy” for a few years. He practiced meditation and believed in its power to enhance emotional well-being.

Working out and going to the gym were always a big part of Gene’s life. An avid cyclist, he rode thousands of miles on rides to benefit AIDS research, with his daughters, and friends Bob and Bill. He played racquetball with buddies and took spin classes with Lee. Later in life, he enjoyed golfing with his childhood pals from Coral Gables.

Fostering relationships and human connection was of great importance to Gene. He was famous for Super Bowl parties and serving up Sunday night spaghetti dinners for Jeanie and Ed, and Leslie and Bob and their children. Twenty-five years ago, in an act of solidarity with his daughter, Gene stopped drinking alcohol. He spent the last decades of his life sober.

Gene took up flying in the 1970s and logged a whopping 3,650 hours in the air. He became a flight instructor and taught his daughter how to fly. He took his family and friends all over the country on adventurous trips. One of the most memorable (and notorious) expedition was to the Florida Keys to take his daughter scuba-diving, while the rest of us snorkeled and got seasick. There were summer visits to Naples, FL with his mother, lovingly referred to as “Mimi” and family friend, Katty, as well as autumn trips to Cape May to see Kate and her daughters, and eat lobster rolls. He got a reprieve from all the women in his life by flying his buddies to the Bahamas for scuba diving and to Maine to bring back hundreds of live lobsters for Rotary friends.

Gene and Lee loved traveling together to National Parks and all around Europe, often with his sister Betsey and husband David, or life-long friends, Lib and Bill, and Patsy and Roy. He adored maps and geography, often directing us in compass directions when the rest of us couldn’t point toward North to save our lives. He prided himself on trip planning, and when anyone said “I’m going to …”, he would launch into stories and share his vast and detailed knowledge of his favorite places, right down to the individual mile markers and rest stops.

In recent years, Gene battled Alzheimer's disease. Lee took loving care of him and he grew very fond of his caretakers, Jules and Noah. Almost until the end, he and his daughters (and granddogs Charlie Sue and Jaya) would walk up the steep hill to the water tower to sing his favorite tune from the musical Oklahoma, “Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’!”

Gene was one of the smartest people you will ever know. He was a man of principles, with an unshakable moral compass. He was absurdly particular, always requiring order and perfection. He had a quick wit and a dry sense of humor. He was kind and loving, and sometimes a real grouch. He reveled in all of these traits. He will be sorely missed.

In lieu of flowers, and in memory of Gene, please consider making a donation to the National Parks Conservation Association to help save the places he loved.

West Family Funeral Services is honored to be serving the Casey family. Condolences may be offered under his obituary at www.westfamilyfuneralservices.com.