Robert R. "Bob" Casey

Robert R. “Bob” Casey, 80, of Bryan passed away Friday, December 26, 2014. Visitation will be held Tuesday, December 30 at Memorial Funeral Chapel at 1515 South College Ave. in Bryan from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Funeral services will be held at Central Baptist Church in Bryan on Wednesday, December 31 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Bryan City Cemetery.

Bob was born in Marlin, Texas to Fred and Anna Beck Casey. He was one of four children. He moved to Bryan when he was six years old. He was a lifetime member of Central Baptist Church in Bryan after accepting the Lord as his savior and being baptized at the age of nine. Bob attended Bryan schools and graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in 1951. After high school, he attended Allen Academy where he played football and baseball from 1951-1953. Following Allen Academy, he attended and graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1956, where he also played baseball and served in the ROTC. Bob was voted captain of the SHSU baseball team by his teammates and coaches. Following his time at SHSU, he spent six months training at Ft. Benning, Georgia followed by eight years of active duty in the Army Reserves and was honorably discharged with the rank of captain. He also played two years of minor league baseball in Pocatello, Idaho after signing a professional contract with the Philadelphia Athletics. He later earned his Master’s Degree from Texas A&M in Educational Administration in 1964.

He married Billie Jean Blazek Casey on April 21, 1962. They had two children, Sue Ellen Casey Kueck and Robert T. Casey. Bob was a loving and devoted son, brother, husband and father to his family. He was an incredible friend to hundreds as he lived, loved, served, laughed and played in this community for nearly 75 years.

He taught and coached in Bryan schools for several years at Lamar Middle School, Stephen F. Austin High School, Bryan High School and Allen Academy. He was the first head baseball coach for Bryan High School. Many of his former students and players referred to him simply as “coach” for the remainder of his life. After leaving the teaching and coaching field in 1974, he developed and sold real estate and then owned and operated the Kurten Store for 16 years.

His favorite past times included golfing, hunting and seeing his grandchildren. He loved raising his bird dogs and hunting quail in South Texas. He enjoyed his land and spent many hours gardening and working around the farm. As his health began to fail, he cherished his days with friends and family and making memories with his grandchildren. His Wednesday morning coffee group was his weekly treat that kept him going.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Sue Ellen Casey Kueck; brother James “Jim” Casey, and brother and sister-in-law, Glen and Helen Skeens Casey.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Billie Jean Blazek Casey of Bryan; son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Julia Bradford Casey of Bryan; sister and brother-in-law, Shirley Casey Briggs and Ridley Briggs of Mount Vernon, Texas; sister-in-law, Wray Stallworth Casey of Bryan; Eight grandchildren, Shelby Laird, Travis Laird, Sydney Kueck, Trey Derek Casey, Taneshia Casey, Melvin Casey, Cullen Casey and Amelia Casey; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and special friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you please consider making a donation to the Gulf Coast Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (in honor of his grand-daughter Amelia) or to the M.D. Anderson Foundation (in memory of his daughter Sue Ellen Casey Kueck).