U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Jack Casey Honored At Funeral Service In Rye

RYE, NH — U.S. Marine Corps Captain Jack Casey was killed on Feb. 7, in Pine Valley, California, during a CH-53E helicopter training exercise.

Saturday, he was honored and remembered at a service held at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Rye. Police officers escorted the hearse carrying Casey from Purdy’s Funeral home in Dover to Rye. State police and local police from New Hampshire and Massachusetts led the motorcade and then lined up to salute as the casket was brought into the church for a Catholic Mass.

Casey was born in Dover on April 19, 1997. He attended St. Mary Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas High School (2015), where he played football and lacrosse and was a Robotics team member.

He attended college at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Virginia. During his time there, he served as a company clerk and earned the position of Company Commander for India Company his senior year. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physics in 2019.

He graduated from Office Candidate school in 2018, earning a pilot’s commission in the United States Marine Corps. He ran the Marine Corps full Marathon while training in Quantico. After extensive training, he earned his wings in September 2022 and became a skilled CH-53 helicopter pilot. He was promoted to captain in September 2023.

After the service inside the church, members of the U.S. Marine Corps performed a formal ceremony in front of the church. The flag was removed from the casket, folded, and presented to family members. Members of the Marine Corps fired rifles as a salute, and taps were played.

After the presentation of the flag, CH-53K King Stallion helicopters similar to the one he had operated flew over the church as a final salute to him.

According to an online obituary, he is survived by his wife, Emma Lindberg of Shepherdstown, WV; his mother, Catherine (Robinson) Casey of Dover, NH; his Father James B Casey of Andover, ME; grandparents, Jean Robinson of Portsmouth NH, Janice Casey of Dover NH and James Casey of Hampton NH, siblings, James D Casey and Kristen Tavares, Dover NH, Patrick J Casey, Topsfield MA, Sean J Casey and Caitlin Parsons, Nantucket, MA, and Catherine E Casey and Bryan DiCredico, Berwick ME, beloved nephew of 15, favorite cousin of 23, amazing uncle to 6. Jack was predeceased by his grandfather, Richard G. Robinson, and his uncle and godfather, Edward Robinson.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Jack Thomas Casey STEM Memorial Scholarship Fund PO Box 403 Dover, NH 03821.

©Jeffrey Hastings www.frameofmindphoto.com