Family First 1926 to 2016 by Lloyd Casey

Former Colorado State Senator and World War II veteran Lloyd Casey has written a book called "Family First A Father's Legacy", a compilation of letters he wrote to his seven children as Christmas presents over the years. The book is available through Amazon.com and will make the perfect gift for those among your family and friends who enjoy a good story.

This compilation of 83 years of wisdom is light and fun to read, showcasing Casey's unique, unfiltered brand of humor. No subject is sacred. Every aspect of his life is examined and reflected upon, including growing up in the 1930s in Nevada, working on the railroad, his various political campaigns, raising seven children and serving in the Navy during World War II.

Senator Casey (D-Northglenn) served in the Colorado General Assembly from 1993 through 1996 and now lives in Dublin, Ohio. Casey championed many progressive political causes that were too controversial for other legislators to touch. He became famous as the first legislator in the U.S. to introduce a bill to re-legalize industrial hemp, a low-THC variety of the Cannabis plant that is used for fiber, paper, and hundreds of other products. Casey was familiar with hemp's many uses as line on Navy ships during WWII. In 1942, the USDA had produced a film called "Hemp for Victory", encouraging farmers to grow hemp for the war effort. Casey encountered strong opposition to his bill and was often quoted as saying, "Will it take another World War to make this plant legal again?"

Although his attempts to bring back industrial hemp as a cash crop for Colorado farmers failed, he gave the impetus to legislators in other states to follow in his footsteps. Due to Casey's courageous pioneering in the field, 26 states have now introduced pro-hemp legislation and 14 states have passed it.

The book is filled with stories and anecdotes written over a span of more than 20 years. The writings show how Casey's thoughts, goals and priorities changed over time, yet also show how Casey's idealism and compassion for others always remained strong, despite the many challenges he faced.

In his book, Casey discusses everything in down-to-earth, matter-of-fact fashion.

From the Book Jacket

Lloyd Aloysius Casey - born December 18, 1926 in Anaheim, California; will die anytime from June 12, 2007 to perhaps 2016 in Dublin, Ohio.

Casey married Mary Grace Wells of Baltimore, Maryland on September 3, 1949. Charles Mark was born on June 28, 1950, Kevin Emmett on May 27, 1952, John Patrick on March 15, 1954, Paul Francis on July 11, 1956, Colleen Ann on March 14, 1959, Christopher Wells on August 7, 1963 and Kathleen Mary on January 14, 1969.

In January 1980, Casey considering that he might be dead by 1981, made an effort to write some thoughts about life to be given to his and Gracie's children as a Christmas present. Still being alive in 1990 he did another Christmas present and then again in 2000. He quit but did write special requests. This book, to be given to each of the seven in 2007 is the last of such Christmas presents.

Other than trying to be an acceptable father, he had numerous adventures. If he becomes what society considers "mature" before he dies it will be a surprise to himself and those who know him. His signature sign off on correspondence, love, peace, joy, pretty well sums up what he has valued.

2007 is a year to end this. Gracie and Casey are alive and in reasonably good health. All seven are alive and making the best of their lives. We have thirteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. What more could anyone want?

Casey's Colorado Hemp Campaign

Senator Casey sponsored the Industrial Hemp Production Act of Colorado in 1995 and again in 1996. In 1995, it was railroaded in the Agriculture Committee by a last-minute fax from the DEA (see below). In 1996, the bill passed the Senate Agriculture Committee and then the full Senate, only to be railroaded again in the House Agriculture Committee by the DEA (anyone every heard of the Hatch Act?). In 1997, the bill was taken up again by Rep. Kay Alexander (R-Montrose), having received an endorsement from the conservative Farm Bureau. This bill amazingly passed the House Agriculture Committee that had killed it in 1996, but failed in a vote of the full House. The bill again received intense pressure on law makers from law enforcement, who claimed they would be incapable of telling industrial hemp and medicinal cannabis appart, even though they look completely different and are grown in a completely different manner.

Casey's Letter to the DEA

One of the world's all-time classic tell-off letters!

This letter was sent in response to a last-minute fax sent by the DEA just before Casey's hemp bill was to be debated in the Senate Agriculture committee. The DEA threatened the committee members with violating federal law if they passed Casey's bill.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
Attn: Philip W. Perry
Rocky Mountain Division Field Headquarters
115 Inverness Drive East
Englewood, CO 80112

On page three of your February 16, 1995 faxed letter at 10:56 am your words are, in part,

"...my 31 years as a federal drug agent...this legislation is no more than a shallow ruse...the people of Colorado deserve to be protected from this sort of subterfuge."

You had been invited in December to participate in an open forum concerning the bill I had agreed to sponsor which would allow a crop of industrial hemp. I had spent five months of investigating the history of hemp as an industrial crop. My expectation was that the D.E.A. would accord me the courtesy of two or three hours to find out if the D.E.A. would or would not accept the honesty of my decision to sponsor the bill.

You chose to cancel the day prior to the scheduled meeting, time and place. You had a draft of the bill. Your words, quoted above, would have been graciously received in January. Your words, arriving by fax just 2 1/2 hours prior to the committee vote, are arrogant and insulting.

You have been on the taxpayer's payroll for so long, you have become like many bureaucrats who have forgotten the basic employer - employee relationship. You are the employee and the taxpayers are the employer.

To paraphrase your arrogance, mine is; I believe my 68 years, which includes WWII service on a destroyer in the South Pacific, a master's degree in Theology, seven children, twelve grandchildren and forty-six years of community service, make me an expert in recognizing a shallow person playing the role of a bureaucratic big shot.

Age 83 and learning. February 6, 2010

Three and one half years ago I was sure I would have nothing more to write. I was wrong. Having read the following books, I have more to write.

By John Shelby Spong - Sins of Scripture, Here I stand, Jesus for the Non Religious

The career change I had at age 37 from life insurance sales to teaching adult Catholics about the changes inaugurated by Vatican II has influenced me all the way to age 83. The teaching of adult Catholics only lasted ten years. The desire to understand the meaning of life never diminished.

Robert Wright's book The Evolution of God was like opening a door I had been trying to get through. From childhood to age 83, as a Catholic, I felt I had to accept the virgin birth of Jesus, the miraculous healings of Jesus, his resurrection from the grave and his ascension into heaven. What I had learned of how the planet Earth came to be billions of years ago and how life slowly evolved and continues to evolve caused me to question those beliefs. Nothing like them have ever re-occurred. We homo sapiens evolved into consciousness and in trying to determine why we were so different from all the other animals got to thinking there has to be a power existing beyond our ability to understand. At least four thousand years ago they made up a story to fit their imagination. The story is recorded in the book of Genesis. It is such a good story there are some people these four thousand years later who give it some credibility. It is just a story.

By the time our species evolved another two thousand years some of them decided the god they had been expecting came as a baby born to a young girl who had been impregnated by a supernatural spirit which was part of god.

Everything written about this baby who was given the name Jesus was written between twenty to seventy years after he had been executed by the Romans. The written accounts attributed to Paul, Mark, Matthew, Luke and John were all done to convince the reader that Jesus was the God they had been expecting for a thousand or more years. They agreed he emphasized forgiveness, compassion, patience and kindness. Paul wrote time and time again saying we people are temples of the Holy Spirit. So where to find God; find Him in ourselves when we exercise forgiveness, compassion, patience and kindness. I believe in the dignity and value of human life. This belief is god enough for me.

October 1, 2024 01:15pm Traditions Assisted Living Apartments

Our family lost our patriarch on Oct. 1. Lloyd Aloysius Casey, known as 'Casey' to us and countless friends, passed peacefully into the yonder blue with several of his children and daughter-in-law Nancy by his side.

Just two months from turning 98, Casey carried an indomitable spirit to the end.

A child of the Depression, he grew up extremely poor outside Las Vegas, Nevada, where, despite the squalor, he nurtured a powerful sense of curiosity, adventure and humor. Wherever he lived, and our tribe moved around a lot, Casey enthusiastically served his community and country.

He quit high school to join the Navy and served in WWII. Ran for office four times - finally getting a win in 1992 at age 66 to become a Colorado Senator.

He sponsored a bill to legalize industrial hemp - way ahead of his time on that one. His memoir "Family First - A Father's Legacy" recounts why the political bug bit: "Why in the hell would a person put himself through such misery? Because the person is a hopeless dreamer who, if given the opportunity, thinks he can right some of what he perceived as wrongs."

Casey's greatest achievement was his 73-year marriage to Gracie, who we lost in 2022, and their raising of seven children.

In skimming his book, a passage jumped out. At age 17, Casey played hooky from school to take flying lessons. "There were times out over the desert or over the ocean when there wasn't another airplane to be seen...just the sky and freedom and solitude. I could do some loops or spins or stalls or just glide around like I used to watch hawks do." He lived life to its fullest - always questioning, always curious, always dreaming. With tenacity and his trademark humor, Casey traveled from the grit of the desert floor to the smooth, endless blue above.

That's where I picture him now, raising a glass of his favored Jameson with his beloved brothers, parents and, of course, Gracie. Proper Irish wake forthcoming ... Love you, Dad.

Obituary for Lloyd Aloysius Casey

Lloyd Aloysius Casey, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather passed away peacefully among family members on October 1, 2024 in Avon, IN. He was 97 years old.

"Casey" as he was known to friends, was born on December 18, 1926 in Anaheim, CA and grew up in southern California and Nevada where his father worked for the Union Pacific Railroad. He attended high school in Las Vegas until joining the US Navy in 1943 at the age of 17 (he lied about his age to enlist). Casey served in the Pacific as a radio operator on the destroyer, USS Sigsbee.

After the war he attended college at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. It was on a blind date that he met his future wife, Mary Grace Wells from Baltimore, MD, where they were married in 1949. From then on known as Gracie and Casey, they moved to southern California in 1953, living in Inglewood briefly before moving to San Mateo in northern California.

Casey worked a variety of jobs: salesman for Shilling Spice Co. and later, Independent Life Insurance Company. In 1962 he returned to college and earned a Master's degree in Theology from the University of San Francisco. Starting a new career with the Catholic Church as an adult educator, the family moved to Yakima, WA where he worked for St. Joseph's Church. In 1968 the family moved to Denver, CO where he worked at Holy Family parish.

After a number of years, he returned to sales to help afford college for seven children, working for several firms - Globe Ticket Company, the Denver Symphony, the Denver Spurs hockey team - until ending his career with StorageTek in Louisville, CO.

Casey always had an interest in politics and ran for a State Senate seat in the Colorado General Assembly, losing in his first bid, but winning in 1992. He served a single term in the senate, becoming known as "Senator Grape Nuts" for his preference for a breakfast cereal. He attributed his mental acuity to the vibrations caused by the chewing of Grape Nuts. These vibrations promote brain health by limiting the build-up of plaque (according to Casey).

One of his legislative achievements was sponsoring a bill to make growing industrial hemp legal again in Colorado after several decades of being illegal. The bill was initially killed in the legislature, but was later approved by Colorado voters. Casey returned to the state capitol in 2013 where he was recognized by Gov. John Hickenlooper for pioneering industrial hemp legalization in Colorado.

Upon retirement, he and Gracie moved to Columbus, OH to be closer to family. Together they enjoyed amateur theater and performed in several productions including Arsenic and Old Lace, Harvey, and others. Although Casey and Gracie's children lived far apart, they gathered at regular intervals for family reunions. Some of the reunion venues included San Diego, Lake Tahoe, Glenwood Springs, Rhode Island, Columbus and others. After the death of Gracie in 2022, Casey moved to Indianapolis, IN., again to be near family.

He is survived by seven children: Mark Casey (Kathy) from Spokane, WA; Kevin Casey (Jeannette) from Auburn, CA; John Casey (Barb) from Greeley, CO; Paul Casey (Nancy) from Indianapolis; Colleen Wahlen (John) from Pewaukee, WI; Chris Casey (Lisa) from Denver, CO; and Kate Casey (Rosario) from Puerto Montt, Chile. In addition, he has 12 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. A funeral service will take place at St. Brigid of Kildare, in Dublin, OH on October 18, 10:30am. In lieu of flowers, Casey would be most honored to have people exercise their right and privilege to vote in the upcoming election.

Obituary for Mary Grace Casey

Mary Grace (Wells) Casey, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother died peacefully on December 16, 2022 with family and caring Kobacker House nurses at her side.

Her full 96 years of life revolved around family, friends and her faith. Oldest daughter of Dr. Charles Joseph Wells, a physician, and Elizabeth Owens, a homemaker, Mary Grace Wells was born in Baltimore, MD on June 5, 1926 and raised in Mount Washington.

Over the course of her life, she used several versions of her name. In her early years, she was Mary Grace; later shortened to Grace and then Gracie, depending on her relationship with a person. After graduating from Mount Saint Agnes High School in 1944, Mary Grace earned an Associate's Degree in Medical Technology and went on to work at Johns Hopkins Hospital until 1949. From there, her career took a long hiatus until the 1970's when she returned to the workforce as a phlebotomist in a hospital and later, a medical assistant in a private doctor's office after her youngest child was born.

Gracie married Lloyd Aloysious Casey, a Navy veteran from the hardscrabble Nevada desert, on September 3, 1949 in Baltimore. Over the next 19 years, they brought seven children into the world. A devoted mother, she gave her heart and soul to her husband and children throughout her life, which included homes in Maryland, California, Washington, Colorado and Ohio.

Gracie and Casey, as they were affectionately referred to, celebrated 73 years of marriage this past September. A constant throughout Grace's life was her devotion to her Catholic faith and the many parishes in which her family were members. Gracie and Casey were active members of St. Brigid of Kildare Church in Dublin, OH for over 20 years. Her calling, and her greatest joy, was in serving her family, friends and those in need.

Gracie was a fun-loving and outgoing person, as well. Her varied interests included gardening, cooking/baking, painting, reading, watching movies and performing in community theater. Very active in theater groups in Northglenn, CO and Dublin, she played a host of roles - her favorite as one of the Brewster sisters in the play, Arsenic and Old Lace. In her later years, Gracie could be found at the Dublin Retirement Village playing cards, crafting, going for walks, leading book clubs, participating in spirituality discussion groups and nearly any other social activity. She and Casey loved sharing dinner and a bottle of wine with different friends every evening in the dining hall. Gracie had warm, smiling blue eyes that shined brightest when she was surrounded by her large, wide-spread family at regular Casey/Wells reunions.

Mary Grace is survived by her husband, Casey; sister, Annalee Wells; sons Charles "Mark" (Kathy) Casey, Kevin (Jeannette) Casey, John (Barbara) Casey, Paul (Nancy) Casey and Chris Casey; daughters Colleen (John) Wahlen and Kate (Rosario) Casey; 13 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews and friends. Visitation will be on Wednesday, December 28th from 10-11AM followed by a Mass of Resurrection at Saint Brigid of Kildare Church, 7179 Avery Road, Dublin, OH. Funeral will be live-streamed on the church website: https://stbrigidofkildare.org. Click on "Watch Live". In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Grace's honor to St. Brigid School, Tuition Assistance Fund, 7175 Avery Road, Dublin, OH, 43017.

Casey and Gracie in "Is there a doctor in the house?" Dublin Senior Players, 2019

Slice of Life: Dublin couple says you're never too old to try new things by Kurt LudlowTuesday, April 3rd 2018

DUBLIN, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) - Remember the saying, "you're never too old to try something new?" A couple in Dublin says they took up a late-in-life hobby that keeps them young.

"We got started on a blind date in 1948 and got married in 1949," says Lloyd Casey, speaking about his wife Grace.

"We went to a movie," he says. "We went to a bar." "And he stayed in my house overnight," replied Grace. "I think I did. I think I did," says Lloyd. "Not in the same room," joked Grace.

Eventually they slept in the same room, because they had seven children. Grace was the homemaker. Lloyd was the breadwinner.

Lloyd prefers to be called "Casey" and says he always held a job, just never had a career. That is, until later in life, when he turned political. He was elected to the Colorado Senate at an age when most people are preparing for retirement.

He says powerful interests killed the bill. But 13 years later, another senator got it through. And at age 80, former Sen. Casey was there as the governor signed it into law, giving Casey one of the keepsake pens, which he still has.

"It got to the Governor's office and low-and-behold I got there and I have a pen that says, 'Governor,' I can't even read his first name but anyway it's Hickenlooper. You don't forget Hickenlooper. Nice man," says Casey.

Once out of politics, the couple needed something to do. Grace suggested acting.

"I used to be in plays in high school and college and I really enjoyed it but Casey had never acted in his life," she says.

That led them to lead roles in plays like "Harvey" and "Arsenic and Old Lace." Those days have passed, but the acting continues.

"Now we do 'reading plays,' because we're a little old for a lot of memorizing," says Grace.

Their go-to scene, Casey and Gracie performing Abbott and Costello's most famous act, "Who's On First." An internet video helped them prepare. Casey changed his voice so it's high-pitched like Costello's voice was.

They recently performed the scene for their neighbors at the Dublin Retirement Village Senior Star where they live.

Still acting at age 92. A couple of late bloomers who say acting keeps them young. "You be around theater people, they're usually very optimistic on top of other things and most of them are younger than us so that's what keeps us going," says Casey.

They've been going together for seventy years. It all started with that blind date that may, or may not, have ended with a blind date kiss goodnight.

"I doubt it," says Casey. "Oh I think so," says Grace as the room erupts in laughter.

Besides acting, Casey and Gracie are very active at Senior Star. They take part in the book club, exercise classes, game nights, and poker.

Email Lloyd Casey

<< caseylac [at] heaven.above >>