Timothy Joseph Casey

December 6th, 1952 — March 26th, 2019

Timothy Joseph Casey, 66, of Dumont, CO passed away on Tuesday, March 26 2019 in the company of his family. His memorial service will be held at 10am on Saturday, March 30th at Darrell Howe Funeral Home (1701 W. South Boulder Road, Lafayette, CO 80026).

Tim saw each day of life as an adventure which he embraced with gratitude and joy. He was born December 6, 1952 in Boulder, Colorado to Tom and Gertrude (Warner) Casey. He grew up in Boulder attending Sacred Heart of Jesus, Casey Junior High, and Boulder High Schools (1971). After completing his education, his adventures took him to Grand Island, Nebraska; Kansas City, Missouri; Denver, Colorado; and Central City, Colorado.

Tim was a creative genius, a master craftsman, a thrill seeker, and an active contributor to his community. He spent his career combining these skills and talents in restoring, refurbishing, and remodelling homes and business across the country. He was always on the hunt for treasure, whether that be through digging up old bottles, researching precious metals, or investing into another person. He always had a song, joke, or story ready at hand to light everyone’s day.

Tim was preceded in death by his parents Thomas James and Gertrude (Warner) Casey as well as his sister Julia Ann Casey.

Michael Crabtree of BHS ’71 shared this information which was written by Mary Sigley Brown.  

Timothy Casey grew up in Boulder in a small house with 7 siblings - a good and close knit Catholic family.  Though the house was small, their table was always big.  In fact it was always set for 12.  The Casey home was located on Pearl Street across the street from Don’s Meat and Sausage Market.  His father taught electronics at the VoTech and his mother was employed at Sacred Heart.  Tim attended Sacred Heart and was lifelong best friends with John Martinez and Mike Crabtree.  In high school, Tim loved bicycling everywhere around Boulder.  In fact, the three of them spent a lot of really fun time on bicycles because both John and Mike lost their licenses for speeding (surely not drag racing?) on the Boulder-Denver Turnpike.  

After high school, Tim headed for Nebraska.  There he met Mona and they got married and had two children, Crystal and Josh.  He loved working with his hands and was self-taught in the construction trade, though his brother, Dan, must be credited for introducing him to the trade.  As the years passed, Tim became a true craftsman.  His skills and talent in construction and remodeling were simply unbelievable.   He loved being self-employed.  His path meandered from Denver to St. Louis and everywhere in between, as he pursued construction opportunities.  He always was enthusiastic to return to Colorado for family reunions and to see his old best buddies.  In 1985 he returned to Colorado where he lived in a variety of mountain towns.   

For a brief time after his children were grown, Tim lived in Mexico where he loved the land and the people. His positive outlook on life resulted in his overall happiness, connection and comfort with whatever region he called home.  

Upon his permanent return to Colorado, Tim became interested in mining silver and gold in the Colorado mountains.  Researching old mining claims, he focused on a specific area known as Nevadaville, a mining community that had already surpassed its heyday of 20-30,000 people before Central City burned in 1873.  It is  an absolutely abandoned region today with only a general store, whose proprietor and Tim became friends.  Tim’s research efforts unbelievably pinpointed an available parcel.   Determined to legally describe the parcel for staking his claim, Mike and John joined Tim in marking and surveying the parcel.  It took a lot of time and commitment, but Tim succeeded in meeting all legal requirements to claim and mine his staked parcel.  Eventually he had gathered and stored in a locker 300 pounds of sand that he believed were laden with gold or silver.  Sadly, he was never able in his lifetime to turn his stash into cash.  He thoroughly enjoyed his efforts trying.  

Tim was overall a fixture in Central City where he lived close to the downtown.  Within that community he was well known and beloved.  At the annual festival, Tim always dressed as a miner of the 1800s. 

Tim dearly enjoyed being a grandfather, though his grandchildren lived out of state.  Near the end of his life, Tim boarded in a room of a home near Idaho Springs with mother/daughter owners.   He “fought and fought and fought” a serious blood clotting disorder for fifteen years.  As it turned out, the blood thinning therapy caused an uncontrollable bleed which took his life.  

He was aware of this risk, but in the end it brought him more time than he would have had otherwise.  Michael Crabtree, who loved his lifelong dear friend, summed it up saying “Tim was one of the most positive people who ever walked this earth.”  

He is survived by his daughter Crystal Friend, her husband Tim, and their children Casey, Luke, and Claire (Overland Park, KS); son Thomas Joshua Casey, his wife Stacey, and their daughters Emmaline, Eliana, and Evangeline (North Liberty, IA); his siblings John Daniel (Jane) Casey, Patricia Casey, Rosemary Casey, MT Casey, Michael Casey, Robert (Ruth) Casey, Thomas Patrick (Amy) Casey; as well as many loving nieces, nephews and friends.

There will be a Memorial Service at 10AM on Saturday, March 30, 2019 at Darrell Howe Mortuary in Lafayette, CO with interment to follow at Green Mountain Cemetery in Boulder. 

Remembrances of BHS classmates:  

Tim help me landscape my yard by hauling and giving to me gratuitously some chopped up concrete from a job site where he worked.  It was quite attractive pieces with very pretty rocks exposed in the concrete.  To this day it decorates my gardens.  

Penny Slack

Tim and I go back to our first grade year.  Like a bro.  

CC Peterson

Tim’s urn was a jug he had found on a treasure hunt and loved.  All the grandkids and siblings put in flowers.  Tim was laid to rest in the Casey Family plot at Green Mountain Cemetery in a beautiful location and with a clear view of the flatirons.  Of course, Tim has a much more glorious view now.  

Sally Reilly Robinson

A man that I’ve loved since I met him.  

Bill Hopkins