Linda Drain Casey

April 13, 1942 - March 26, 2022

Linda Ann Drain Casey went to be with the Lord on March 26, 2022, surrounded by her adoring husband of 62 years and loved ones. Linda was born on April 13, 1942, in Midland, Texas. She was adopted by her loving parents, Maude Billingsley Drain and George Arlen Drain, from Hope Cottage Pregnancy & Adoption Center, an organization she supported throughout her life. Linda had a servant’s heart, adored her husband, loved her four girls, their husbands, and her grandchildren, and was an Angel to so many people during her life. Linda met her life-long sweetheart and best friend, Franklin Casey, at the age of 15. To be in their presence, even on her final morning, and see how they still looked at each other, was to be in the presence of true and great love. Linda graduated from Garland High School in May 1959 and married Franklin on August 28, 1959. They lived in the “married students’ dorm” at Southern Methodist University (SMU) together and adopted their first of many loved and adored dogs (even though dogs were not allowed in the dorms!). Linda graduated from SMU in 1963 with a B.A. in English and went on to obtain her Masters Degree in Education from SMU with an interest in learning differences and disabilities in 1970. Linda fondly remembered her graduate work including working on the early development of the Sesame Street educational programming. Linda spent her early years teaching in school districts in Highland Park, Texas; Richardson, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; and Glasgow, Montana, while Franklin was in medical training and in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. She would often talk of the letters and recorded tapes she and Franklin sent to each other each day of his service. Linda loved spending her time raising her four girls (Mary, Donna, Lisa, and Cindy), managing the family’s internal medicine practice at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, and giving her time to many local charities for children, medicine, and education. When her girls were young, Linda embraced the role of Girl Scout, Brownie, and Bluebird Leader, and loved having a full house for meetings. During Linda’s life she was honored to be a founding board member of the Shelton School. She was a board member and/or supporter of many other organizations that were meaningful to her including: Hope Cottage Pregnancy & Adoption Center, Hadassah, The Dallas County Medical Society Alliance Foundation, Aldredge House, The International Society, Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, The Corvette Club, Thunderbird Dance Club, and the SMU Parents’ Association. Linda was an educator, mentor, and education advocate for many people who might not have otherwise had the opportunity to obtain an education. She believed we could do anything we put our mind to, and that time spent educating yourself was never wasted. She made sure all of her girls completed graduate school in a field they loved. Linda had an affection for all of the educational institutions that educated her children and grandchildren during their formative years, including Shelton School, Greenhill School, The Hockaday School, St. Mark’s School of Texas, Trinity School of Midland, and St. Paul’s School. Linda always had a warm, welcoming house full of love, great food, and lots of spoiled dogs (and a few cats, horses, and the occasional raccoon). Much beloved dogs over the years were Snoopy, Addison, Annabelle, Jack, and Ben. She was a big believer in family mealtime. She loved a table full of people at breakfast and dinner, always kept an open door and extra seat at the table for her friends and family, and everyone was welcome to enjoy her famous holiday meals (where she was always sure to remark “That could use a little more butter!”). She adopted each employee as part of the family and treated friends of her children like her own. Linda loved books and was always reading multiple at any given time – with one in her car, one on her desk, one in her nightstand, and one in her (always too heavy) purse. She particularly loved mysteries, British mystery books, and historical fiction. She could often be found in the bookstore and enjoyed hunting for rare books and first editions when she and Franklin would take road trips. Linda had a keen intuition for knowing when someone needed a blessing or kind favor. Whether for a family member, friend, employee, or acquaintance, her good deeds were usually only known by the beneficiary. She taught her girls to always “pay it forward” and lived by example, always showing care and concern for others in the world. Linda will famously be remembered for making holiday rum cakes (more than 100 each year) and delivering them to several local hospitals where her husband and children worked. It delighted her each year around Halloween when her family brought in reports of people at the hospitals asking, “When will the rum cakes be here?” Linda simply loved taking care of others. It brings us great comfort to know that our wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, advocate, caregiver, and friend, who took care of so many people during her wonderful and full life, is now resting and being taken care of in Heaven. Linda was predeceased by her parents Maude and George Drain, infant son Glenn, brother-in-law Dennis Casey, brother-in-law John Childs, mother-in-law Pauline Casey, and father-in-law William S. Casey. Linda is survived by her adoring husband of 62 years, Dr. Franklin Casey, daughters Mary Ann Casey, Dr. Donna Casey and husband Dr. Gary Weinstein, Dr. Lisa Casey and husband Dr. Brad Raper, and Cindy Casey Brown and husband Edgar Brown; grandchildren Hattie Newton, Rosser Newton, Jr., Laughlin Newton, Beatrice Mitchell, Kyle Weinstein, Bella Raper, Franklin Brown, and George Brown; sister-in-law Carolyn Barry and husband O’Keefe and sister-in-law Roselyn Childs; and nieces, nephews, and many dear friends. The family wishes to express their love and appreciation to the caregivers that assisted Linda in the past year: Debbie Akoth, Delois Davenport, Ricardo Diaz, Aracely Maldonado, Peggy Miller, Bessie Richmond, and Florence Wydermyer. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, 2022, at Lovers Lane United Methodist Church, at 9200 Inwood Road, Dallas, Texas 75220. A live-stream link will be available at www.llumc.org/LindaCaseyMemorial. A reception will be held immediately following the service at Brook Hollow Golf Club, at 8301 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas, Texas, 75235. Linda’s famous rum cake will be served! In lieu of flowers, memorials in Linda’s name may be made to Hope Cottage Pregnancy & Adoption Center, any educational institution that has made an impact on your life, by donating a book to the library of your choosing, or to the charity of your choice.