Virginia Beach ~ Ethel Mae Casey, “ Casey”, loving mother and grandmother, passed away on June 1, 2021 in Virginia Beach surrounded by her family after a short illness. She was born at home in the Glenrock neighborhood of Norfolk, Va on December 28, 1936 to Henry Cecil Halsey and Eva Myrtle (Ambrose) Halsey. She was a graduate of the 1955 class of Princess Anne High School and attended Old Dominion College majoring in Religion and Philosophy.
Ethel grew up on a farm in the Sandbridge area of what was then Princess Anne County. Her father built a small country store on the edge of their property where she and her siblings all worked. This store is now Margie and Ray’s Restaurant on Sandbridge Road. Early on, Ethel wanted to live and work in the city. She went to work for the Civil Service at the Naval Station Norfolk in the Supply Division after she graduated high school. She transferred to the very new department of computer technology and there promoted to the GS-13 level over her career. She was on the team that helped develop the beginnings of the internet. In the early 1980’s, Unisys Corporation recruited her to work for them. With them, she spent many years traveling the country and Canada as a Project Manager. Her home base at this time was New York City. She truly enjoyed living there. This was a very happy time in her life, as she loved to travel and made many life-long friends. She continued her career in the private sector until 1996 when she had to take a medical disability retirement. She was a grateful 32 year survivor of breast cancer, and battled other chronic illnesses over the years with determination and good cheer. She was an avid reader. She always wanted to be the first person to read her books. She loved the smell of the paper and the cracking sound of the book binding. Fashion was another of her passions. She always looked like she could have stepped out of a fashion magazine and was thrilled when people told her she didn’t look her age(which she didn’t). The love of her life and apple of her eye was her grandson, Zachary Alan Gamble. She enjoyed spending as much time as possible with him. Their bond was very special. She also loved to go dancing, particularly Shag Dancing, with her sister-in-laws and friends. She will be remembered for her kind, generous heart and sweet nature. She was and is much loved by her family and friends.
She is predeceased by her parents Henry Cecil Halsey and Eva Myrtle (Ambrose) Halsey, her brother Cecil Marlin Halsey, her sisters Myrtle Louise Wheeler and Mildred Elizabeth Embry, her ex-spouse and friend Thomas Robert Casey, and her grandson Jackson Alan Gamble.
She is survived by her daughter Sharyn Joi Martini, her son-in-law Daniel Vincent Martini Jr, her beloved grandson Zachary Alan Gamble, her sister Stephanie Diane Hurley, and her niece that was like her sister, Carolyn Lee Mitchell. She was a wonderful aunt to many nieces and nephews that she adored. There was a special place in her heart for her ex-spouse’s children Rachel Ann Casey, Rebecca Rose Davis and Michael John Casey. Her last years were enjoyed with her loving dog, Duchess, always by her side.
Services for Ethel will be held at Star of the Sea Catholic Church, 1404 Pacific Ave, Virginia Beach, VA 23451 on June 18, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, her charities include St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, American Cancer Society, and MPN Research Foundation.
Rick Garris
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Rodger & Gwen Gregory
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