Dorothea Ann O’Brien Casale passed away peacefully at her home in Greenwich, CT in the early morning hours of October 1, 2022, surrounded by her sisters, daughter, and granddaughter. Doris, as she was known by her family and friends, had bravely fought ovarian cancer for five years before halting treatment.
A resident of Greenwich for 49 years, Mrs. Casale was born on October 24, 1940 in Queens, New York to Harry and Doris O’Brien. Mrs. Casale was the second of six children. She was raised in Hollis Hills, and graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Manhasset, NY.
After receiving her bachelor’s degree in art history from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. in 1962, Mrs. Casale worked at the Nationally Gallery of Art. For the rest of her life, she remained a generous patroness of the fine arts and a benefactor of her college alma mater.
Doris married Joseph V. Casale, an insurance executive, in 1965. They lived on Long Island and Denver, Colo., before settling their family in Greenwich in 1973, where they raised their three children.
Mrs. Casale was dedicated to corporal works of mercy in her own community, heeding the call to feed and clothe the poor, care for the sick, and visit the imprisoned.
In Greenwich, Mrs. Casale was an early donor and volunteer at Neighbor to Neighbor; and an eager supporter of the Nathaniel Witherell nursing home, spending time with the elderly. At St. Vincent’s Hospital in Harrison, New York, she voluntarily ran the patient gift shop and visited with those suffering from mental illness. Mrs. Casale also volunteered for years at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women, caring for the children of the inmates during visiting hours. She had a special affinity for this work, sometimes even hosting the children of the inmates in her own home.
Recreationally, Doris was a lifelong bridge player. She relished the challenge of the game and especially adored the friendship and camaraderie of her bridge group. A master crossword puzzle aficionado, she often completed the New York Times puzzle before attending Sunday Mass.
Family is where Doris placed the center of her life. A devoted and doting wife, mother and grandmother, she poured herself into her family with unconditional love, patience, and support. She was a fabulous cook and an entertaining hostess, with a wry wit and a penchant for stories and conversation. Gatherings at the Casale house were always a delightful occasion for multitudes of friends and family to eat, laugh, learn and love.
Doris is survived by her three children: Francis Casale and his wife, Kristin, of Greenwich, Cecilia Fernandez and her husband, Carlos, of Greenwich and Joseph O’Brien Casale and his wife, Liz Davidson, of El Segundo, CA; her six grandchildren: Carlos Fernandez, Jr., Elizabeth Fernandez, Joseph Fernandez, Christopher Casale, Grace Casale, and Jay Casale; her sisters: Mary Margaret “Peggy” O’Connor, of Wellesley, MA and Eileen Reser, of Leesburg, VA, and her brother James O’Brien and his wife, Willis, of Richmond, VA. She is pre-deceased by her brother, Edward O’Brien and her sister, Cecilia O’Brien, both of whom died in infancy, her beloved husband of 50 years, Joseph V. Casale, and her brother-in-law, John F. O’Connor.
A Mass of Christian burial will be held Saturday, Oct. 8 at 10am, in St. Michael’s Church, 469 North Street, Greenwich. Interment will follow in Greenwood Union Cemetery, Rye, NY. Friends may call at the Fred D. Knapp &Son Funeral Home, 267 Greenwich Ave., Greenwich, from 4 to 8pm on Friday.
In lieu of flowers, the family gratefully welcomes donations to the MiDE Study for Ovarian Cancer at the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, or Food for the Poor, Inc., or the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement, Greymoor, or any charity of your choice.
