Funeral services for Helen Casey, 100, Saturday in Libertyville

Helen Morse Casey was known to be so full of vigor, that at the age of 90, she could be seen driving a tractor on a steep slope on her Libertyville-area property.

Casey, one of the most prominent land owners in Libertyville Township, died July 8, in Bartow, Fla. She was 100.

She was described by family and friends as a strong woman, who was known for her sharp mind, great sense of humor, and the deep love she felt for those close to her.

“She was a lot of fun to be around,” said Steve Berg, executive director of Conserve Lake County, formerly known as the Liberty Prairie Conservancy, which bought 34 acres from the Casey family when she moved to Florida. “She had a presence about her that showed she was exceptionally strong willed, but very fair and very kind.”

Casey was born in St. Joseph, Mich. in 1911, before moving to Chicago where she met her husband, Adkins Burnel Casey, while working at the Northern Trust Company in Chicago.

They married in 1944 and moved to Libertyville Township, where they owned more than 200 acres, Berg said.

One of her favorite stories was that one of the male Caseys was at the right place at the right time in order to get a road named after the family, Berg said.

“I’m not sure if it was her husband or father-in-law, but they were in the Libertyville Township office paying taxes when someone came out and said they were naming roads in the township,” Berg said. “So, he asked for the name Casey Road, and they put it on the gravel road right by the house.”

Helen Casey worked as the treasurer for various schools in the Libertyville and Mundelein area, taking over a position her husband held until his death in 1976.

She was also a devoted and active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Libertyville, where she sang in the choir for 35 years.

Casey was a member of the Town and Country Women, and served on the boards of the Libertyville-Fremont Concert Society and the Wright Elementary School on Casey Road. She enjoyed listening to opera, playing cello, having lunch with friends, making grape jelly from homegrown grapes, reading, and hosting her grandchildren for summer vacations.

“She had a dry sense of humor about her, but she was exceptionally bright and smart,” Berg said. “She was very witty and very kind.”

Funeral services for Casey are Saturday at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 219 W. Maple, Libertyville. Interment will follow at Lakeside Cemetery.

Visitation will be for one hour prior to services at the church.

Memorial contributions to the First Presbyterian Church Music Department, would be appreciated.