Patrick Daniel Casey, 80
Patrick Daniel Casey, 80, of Kalispell, passed away at Kalispell Regional Hospital on April 17, 2017, at 11 a.m., after a brief illness. He was surrounded by his loved ones.
He was born to Patrick D. and Betty Casey in 1936 in Chicago. At the age of 5 or 6 he moved with his mother Betty and his brother Jim Casey to Tacoma, Washington, where Betty worked in the shipyards. When Pat was in fifth grade they moved back to Kalispell where Betty’s family lived. He started fifth grade at Hedges Grade School and attended Central Junior High. The family moved to Great Falls his freshman year. He played freshmen basketball with the “Fabulous Freshman” who beat the varsity team, hence the name. The family moved back to Kalispell for his sophomore year and graduated from Flathead High in 1956. His achievements included football and basketball where he became First Team All State Guard. He accepted a basketball scholarship to Western College in Dillon. During his freshman year he became the Golf Conference Champion. He left college in his junior year to join the Army in 1959.
Pat started his love of golf at age 11 when he was a caddy at the Buffalo Hills Golf Course. Dave Cameron and Gene McGlenn took him under their wings and taught him the game. Pat was a member of Buffalo Hills Golf Club, Whitefish Lake Golf Club and Meadow Lake Golf Club for many years. He won the Whitefish Club Championship in 1997 when he was 61 years old. He served as a director for the State of Montana Golf Association for 24 years. He later became a director of the MT Senior Golf Association until he moved to Idaho in 2004.
His career being owner of Casey’s began in 1970 when he bought the Club Bar from his stepfather Bill Murr and changed the name to “Casey’s.” In December of 2003 he sold the bar and retired to Twin Lakes Village in Rathdrum, Idaho. They moved back to Montana in July 2016 where they resided at Village Greens.
Pat is survived by his wife Sally of 30 years, his son Michael (Denise) Casey, grandchildren Danny Casey of Lynwood, Washington, Rachel Casey of Lynnwood and Catherine Casey of Maui, Hawaii. Stepdaughter Heidi (Ryan) Fox of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and grandson Ethan Fox, granddaughter Andrea Donahue of Henderson, Nevada, as well as Pat’s brother Jim (Marilyn) of Banning, California.
A celebration of Pat’s life will be held June 17 at Village Greens Community Center with time and details to be announced.
To send notes of condolences to the family please visit www.buffalohillfh.com. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.