Thomas Joseph Casserly Jr.'s Obituary
Tom died February 16, 2023 after a brief struggle with cancer.
He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on December 18,1943 and grew up in the St. Phillip Neri Parish community that he so loved. He followed in his father's footsteps and graduated from Cathedral High School and later attended Marian College in Indianapolis. He joined the army and served four years in Army Intelligence, including a stint in England for two and a half years. He was stationed at Menwith Hill, Harrogate England.
After his service, he briefly toyed with the idea of working in the intelligence community but opted instead to begin a career in the insurance industry. He loved meeting and talking to people, his quick wit helped ensure his success. He began working at Nationwide Insurance after meeting the love of his life, Carolyn Carter. They married on March 9, 1968 and Tom passed just weeks short of their 55th wedding anniversary. Together they lived in Fredericksburg, Virginia for 36 years.
Over the years at Nationwide, he won many awards not only for sales but also service. His diamond ring, awarded for 30 years at Nationwide, became one of his truly prized possessions. He was also inducted to the Life Underwriters Hall of Fame in Virginia after serving as state President in 1994. In addition to that, Tom volunteered his time with the Fredericksburg Police Department in its Volunteer Corps. He loved the camaraderie with the station's officers and helped out for 25 years serving the Fredericksburg community. Through his tireless dedication he became a fully certified Police Officer for the Auxiliary Force. It became one of the real joys of his life and many of the people he met there became lifelong friends.
Tom retired in 2004 and moved to Florida in 2005. During his time in Florida he loved playing Bocce with his neighbors. He also served his new community by volunteering his time to the Finance Committee for the Royal Harbor Neighborhood.
Tom and his wife Carolyn always had dogs in their home and that was no exception to their time in Florida. Their most recent addition, Romeo, held a special place in his heart and they had a special bond.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Thomas J. and Kathleen M. and a brother Michael. He is survived by his wife Carolyn and two children--Charles (Stephanie) and Kimberly Wright (Christopher). He has three grandchildren, Thomas, Andrew and Gabriel. He lived just long enough to meet his first great grandson Samuel. who he affectionately referred to as Buster. He also has two surviving brothers, David (Eugene) and Daniel (Patricia).
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Fredericksburg Police Department Benevolent Society, ASPCA, or another charity of your choice in Tom’s name.
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