Rita P. (Fleming) Casey, age 92, of Salisbury Beach, Massachusetts, died peacefully at home Monday morning, February 20, 2012 surrounded by her loving family. Recently celebrating their 63rd wedding anniversary, Rita was the beloved wife of William J. Casey. Rita was born October 15, 1919 and raised in Lawrence and Methuen. The daughter of the late David and Catherine (Casey) Fleming, she was a 1939 graduate of St. Mary’s High School. Rita and her sister Eileen did their part to support the effort in World War II by performing their dance routines in numerous USO shows. She was an avid and skilled seamstress, devoted wife, selfless mother, adoring grandmother, and delighted great grandmother. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her sister, Eileen Doyle of North Andover, daughter, Eileen Woelfel and her husband Brian of Haverhill, son, William J. Casey and his wife Rita of San Felipe, Mexico, daughter Patricia Thompson and her husband Donald of Bradford, son James Casey and his wife Ellen of Lynn, grandchildren Matthew Woelfel, Katie (Woelfel) Hicks, Casey Thompson, Erin (Thompson) Bertrand, Jonathan Casey and Lauren Casey, great grandchildren Hadley, Will and Henry Vareschi-Woelfel, and Samantha and Michael Hicks, as well as many nieces and nephews. She was the sister of the late John Fleming, Mary Fleming, Eugene Fleming, Catherine Bardsley, William Fleming, David Fleming and Chris Stewart.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend her funeral mass on Thursday, February 23, 2012, at 11 AM in St. Patrick Church, Lawrence. Calling hours will be held on Wednesday from 5-7 PM at John Breen Memorial Funeral Home, 35 Merrimack Street, North Andover, MA 01845. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Sacred Hearts Parish, 48 South Chestnut Street, Bradford, MA 01835 or The Arc of Greater Haverhill-Newburyport, 57 Wingate Street, Suite 301, Haverhill, MA 01832.