Claribel Ruth (Wood) Casey passed away on Sunday, March 18, 2012, at the age of 99. She had resided at The Manor at Elfindale since August of 2009. Claribel was the 6th child born to Charles Newton Wood and Sarah Musson Wood on March 4, 1913, in Lancaster, MO. Her father, a Methodist minister, passed away when Claribel was 2 years old. Her mother was left to raise 6 children so the family moved frequently so that her mother and older brothers could get teaching jobs. Her education from grade school through high school was at Kirksville, Cameron, Glenwood, Altamont, Forker and in 1929, at the age of 16, she graduated from high school at Bethel, MO. By taking summer classes at Kirksville State Teachers College, now Truman University, she was able to earn a 60-year lifetime teaching certificate by the summer of 1929, at age 16. She got her first teaching job at a rural school near Shelbyville, MO. She taught at several rural schools in north Missouri over the next few years. Claribel took a leave from teaching to raise her children and substituted while they were young. In 1962 Claribel completed her degree in special education at Drury University. For the next 16 years she taught at the Missiouri State School for Retarded Children, receiving the award as State Teacher of the Year her final year. In April of 1932 Claribel attended a revival meeting at the Church of God in Kirksville, MO. She accepted Christ as her personal Lord & Savior. She began a happy, lifelong journey with God that lasted until the day of her death. Claribel had been a member of the Church of God in Springfield since 1949, attending both the First Church of God and Walnut Lawn Church of God. Claribel grew up in a family that loved to sing. She developed this love of singing and used it her entire life. In the summer of 1932 Claribel started singing with a group of ladies known as “The Gospel Trio” They were known in north Missouri, Southern Iowa and Western Illinois where they sang for revivals, church services and on the radio. It was while Claribel was teaching at Green Grove school, near Novinger, MO., that she met Charles Casey, a farm boy in the community. They dated for 5 years before their marriage on December 24, 1938. Following his graduation from college Charles taught for a few years before he accepted a job with the Federal Prison Service. They moved to McNeil Island, Washington. Claribel & Charles moved to Springfield in 1949 and resided here until their deaths. Claribel & Charles were 2 days short of celebrating their 67th wedding anniversary when he died in 2005. Claribel was preceeded in death by her parents, 4 brothers and 1 sister. She was also preceeded in death by her husband Charles and her daughter, Margaret Lucille (Peggy) Casey White. Claribel is survived by her son Kenneth Charles (Ken) Casey and his wife Charlotte of Oklahoma City, OK. She is also survived by her son-in-law Perry White of Marshfield, MO. She is survived by 6 grandchildren, Marcia (White)Mackie & her husband Keith, Jake White, JJ (White) Snelson & her husband Scott, Jeremiah White and his wife Staci, Jeff Casey and his wife Leslie, Melissa (Casey) Smith and her husband Matt. She is also survived by 10 Great Grandchildren, Tristan, Braeden, Kenny & Lonnie Mackie, Joshua & Casey Snelson, Lauryn & Luke Casey, Hunter & Zane Smith. She is also survived by her sister-in-law and brother-in-law Lucille & Glover McCauslin, Marceline, MO, and several nieces and nephews.
We wish to sincerely thank the wonderful nurses and staff at The Manor and the Hospice nurses and staff for the kind and considerate care they gave to Mom that made her last months and weeks happy and comfortable. She really did like living at The Manor. Visitation will be from 6-8 P.M. on Tuesday, 3-20 at the Greenlawn North Funeral Home. Services will be at Greenlawn North Funeral Home on Wednesday, 3-21 at 3P.M.
In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Missouri Ministries of the Church Of God, P.O. Box 217, St. James, MO 65559. Please note this is for the Camp Sharon Youth Camp Building Fund. Mother dearly loved Camp Sharon and was a counselor there for several years. You may also donate to the charity of our choice.