Kevin Hennessy Caspersen

Kevin was born Kevin Mark Caspersen in Houston, Texas to Donia Phelan and Charles Anthony Caspersen, Jr. He was born the eleventh of fourteen children, all of whom attended St. Anne’s parish school, one block from their home. This was followed by a glorious four years at the Basilian-run St. Thomas High School. While he tried his hand at sports he quickly learned that he had ne’er the talent of his father or his brothers and thus turned his attention to academics. Wherever he went Kevin cultivated lifelong friends who became his brothers, and sought leadership in unpredictable ways. A special affection shared among friends was working at Jamail’s Family Market. Kevin earned his way to the University of Notre Dame, majoring in the classics in what was then called “The General Program”. At Notre Dame, Kevin was mentored by the finest professors about whom he and his classmates still tell stories. For years Kevin drove to South Bend to have tea with Dr. Cronin, and ND football was ever a Fall ritual at home.

Long before Notre Dame, Kevin entertained the thought of priesthood, and upon graduation Kevin entered the Order of Saint Basil as a novice and was then sent to Toronto to study at St. Michael’s School of Theology. He later pursued his doctorate in systematic theology at Fordham University in the Bronx with the intent to ultimately become a school president. Kevin was ordained to the priesthood on April 20, 1985 and assigned to Saint Joseph’s College in Edmonton, Alberta. He would say that he had some wonderful successes, mostly in friendships earned and homilies given, and miserable failures before leaving the priesthood after six years. While pursuing his doctorate Kevin worked as a community organizer in the South Bronx with South Bronx Churches and was a member of the choir at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church in the South Bronx; two ministries that brought him great joy. He ultimately decided to seek a dispensation from his priestly vows, a heart wrenching and life altering decision.

Soon before completing the doctorate, Kevin married Stacy Hennessy in August of 1993. They moved to Austin, Texas in 1994 to pursue careers in education at Saint Michael’s Academy and two children came upon them - Charlie (1995) and Kathleen (1997). Bishop John McCarthy offered Kevin a job opportunity at Reicher Catholic High School in Waco, Texas which he was unable to refuse in 1998. There, he began a very successful stint as President of the school, and another child followed, Niels (2000). After navigating school leadership well in Waco by increasing enrollment, adding a new performing arts center and making significant improvements to the football stadium and the endowment, Kevin pursued bigger horizons and took a job at Scecina Catholic High School in Indianapolis in 2004 where he served for a little less than two years. In the following eleven years Kevin worked for Pat Rooney on School Choice initiatives, St. Thomas High School,Houston, as Director of Development, and Our Lady of Lourdes in Louisville as a Director of Religious Education. This work kept him far from family and from true fulfillment until he entered the Clinical Pastoral Education program at Ascension St. Vincent hospital in 2016. His years in Pastoral Care were the most fulfilling in his life.

Kevin served as a Chaplain at Ascension St. Vincent Heart Hospital in Carmel where he remains greatly beloved by his associates. Time and again he has accompanied patients as they face the existential questions of life - Is there a God? Does my life matter? Kevin offered the gifts of consolation, solidarity and compassion. Thus, facing his own death, none of these questions were new. There lay only the healing.

Kevin was diagnosed with small cell carcinoma metastasized to the liver on July 15. On July 25 he elected to enter hospice. Upon his death he leaves behind a beautiful garden, a flood of dear, dear friends, and his precious children. Collectively they hold the memory chest of his quirky habits, bad jokes, profound faith, his spontaneous acts of kindness toward the homeless, his breadth of curiosity, his propensity for exaggeration, his “little projects” and his affection for beauty.

He is preceded in death by his son, Charles Anthony Caspersen (d.2013), his parents, Charles A. and Donia P. Capsersen; siblings Colleen Kavanaugh and Charles “Cas” Caspersen and a nephew, Charles James Jamail. He is survived by his wife, Stacy Hennessy, his children, Kathleen and Niels, eleven siblings Kathy (Jim) Jamail, Candace Caspersen, Mary Iacono, Carol Moffett, Judy (Lee) Sanderson, Stephen (Julie) Caspersen, Cindy (Michael) Dewan, Donia (Jim) Crouch, Cecelia (Tom) Meyers, John (Tammy) Caspersen and Elizabeth (Paul) Cashiola as well as 53 nieces and nephews.

Our deepest thanks to Ascension St. Vincent Chaplaincy team, Paradigm, our neighbors and close friends for providing a soft place to land in the struggle.

Visitation will be at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 5692 Central Avenue, Indianapolis, IN, 46220 from 4:00 - 7:00 pm on Friday, September 22. A mass of Christian Burial will be held at Immaculate Heart of Mary at 10:00 am on Saturday, September 23.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be sent to the Ascension St. Vincent Foundation, 250 West 96th Street, Suite 470, Indianapolis, IN 46260 or made online at www.give.stvincent.org/donate. Contributions will be used to support the pastoral care team at Ascension St. Vincent.

Or you direct your gifts to the Kevin Caspersen Memorial Gift Fund (https://www.brebeuf.org/support-brebeuf/give-online) to be used for a meditation garden on the campus of Brebeuf Jesuit.