June Alice Casey’s life “affirmed the wisdom of what a faith walk and education combined could do,” said former PBA professor Dr. Lisa Stubbs.
Casey came to Palm Beach Atlantic at age 74 to obtain her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling. In 2012, she graduated at 76, perhaps becoming PBA’s oldest graduate. She passed away Dec. 22, 2022, at the age of 86 at Princeton Medical Center in New Jersey.
“Going to PBA wasn’t a hobby for June; it was a calling,” said Stubbs. “She was as bright and curious as any student that started in their twenties, and she brought a tremendous amount of empathy and a depth of experience. Her presence in the classroom was a joy.”
Casey impacted “everyone she was with,” said Stubbs. “She loved people, and you could feel that love.” Casey lived a “fascinating life” and inspired those around her, Stubbs said. She successfully started her own catering business, worked as director of community affairs in New York under mayor Edward Koch and worked as a mental health counselor after obtaining her master’s degree.
Family members said Casey’s greatest loves were “the Word of God, her family and traveling the world.” “She would always take a bad situation, and she would do something with it,” said her son Robert. Her daughter, Terry Shields, described her as being “joyful within challenges.”