Frances Powell Casey

Frances Powell Casey

Staff Reports's picture
February 04, 1931 - October 21, 2020

Frances Powell Casey passed away at 89 years of age on October 21, 2020 at her home in Nashville, Tennessee with her family members by her side, and is now in the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Frances was much loved and greatly appreciated by those who knew her. She was known for her crocheted baby blankets and hats, cathedral window quilts and handmade cards, and her beautiful soprano voice. An avid reader from a young age, she found great joy throughout her life in teaching children and adults to read. She was a devoted adult literacy tutor with Begin Anew in Nashville until as recently as March of this year, and was nominated in 2019 for the Mary Catherine Strobel Direct Service Volunteer Award for her commitment and service to adult literacy. She was an active member of First Baptist Church, Nashville, where she was a member of the Heritage Sunday School class, Women on Mission, and the Senior Adult Choir.

She was a fan of the University of Tennessee football and Lady Vols basketball and the Atlanta Braves.

Through the years Frances was a devoted caregiver to her sister Helen until her death in 2002, and to Ken through several illnesses and surgeries, and was affectionately known among family members as “Dr. Mom.” 

Frances was born on February 4, 1931 in Pickens County, South Carolina - the second youngest of the six children of Wade McFall Powell and Essie Holtzclaw Powell. She grew up in Greer, South Carolina and graduated from Greer High School in 1949, after which she worked for the Southern Bell Telephone Company as an operator - later promoted to customer service representative.

At the close of the Korean War, Frances was introduced to Air Force Staff Sergeant Joseph Kenneth Casey by his cousin Mary West, a close friend of the Powell family. They married on November 1, 1958. They would have celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary November 1st.

Her marriage to Ken was the beginning of their life together, glorifying God and furthering the cause of Christ through church service and through missionary work. She and Ken attended Furman University and the New Orleans Baptist Seminary. They served at several churches in Louisiana including First Baptist Church Hammond; the Louisiana Baptist State Missions at City Price Baptist Church and School, and Davant Mission in Plaquemines Parish; and Riverside Baptist Church, New Orleans. Frances and Ken were later appointed Missionary Associates by the Foreign Mission Board (now the International Mission Board) of the Southern Baptist Convention. Over time, they served in Baptist churches in Devonshire, Bermuda, St. George's, Grenada, and Roseau, Dominica. 

Upon returning to the United States in 1978, Frances and Ken lived in Seymour, Tennessee, where they both worked at Harrison Chilhowee Baptist Academy and were members of First Baptist Church, Seymour. Later they moved to North Carolina where Frances worked until retirement at Montreat Anderson College in Black Mountain, North Carolina. 

After retirement, Frances and Ken added to their life of travel by visiting Europe, participating in mission trips to Brazil and Colorado, and working for a season at Denali National Park, Alaska with their friends Jack and Ruth Fuson. The Alaska trip—taken in her late 70s--brought Frances great joy and she loved to talk about the time she spent there, particularly in her final days.
Frances was preceded in death by her parents, Wade and Essie Powell; brothers, Fulton and Albert; and sisters, Hazel Rollins and Helen Powell. 

She is survived by Ken, her husband; daughters Katherine Casey of Tulsa, OK and Shannon Casey-Loren (Harold) of Nashville, TN; sons Keith (Cheryl) of Knoxville, TN, and Brian (Bebe), and granddaughter Erin of San Antonio, TX; sister Azara Wilson of Asheville, NC; and nieces Susan Molloy, Laura Wilson, Shirley Blackwell, Sandra Bailey, Jane DeBruin, and Lyn Owens. 

The Casey family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Lisa Amos RNCM, and the staff of Alive Hospice of Nashville. 

Memorial gifts may be made in Frances’ memory to Begin Anew of Middle Tennessee, 1111 Foster Ave, Nashville TN 37210, and Alive Hospice of Nashville, 1718 Patterson Street, Nashville, TN 37203. 

The family will hold a private service at a later date, followed by interment at Nashville National Cemetery. 

Sign the guestbook at https://www.crawfordservices.com/obituary/frances-casey.

The Greer Citizen

317 Trade Street Greer, SC 29651

Phone: 1-864-877-2076

Sign Up For Breaking News

Stay informed on our latest news!

Manage my subscriptions

Subscribe to Greer Citizen newsletter feed
Comment Here