Glenda Joyce Casey's Obituary
A native of Dallas, Texas passed away peacefully September 14, 2008 after a courageous battle with cancer. She was born July 20, 1948 in Dallas, Texas to Joe and Lois Fanning. She graduated from W.H. Adamson High School in 1966. Her loving husband Jim Casey preceded Glenda in death. Her parents, Joe and Lois Fanning, sisters ‘ Janice (and Jerry) Mitchell, Rena (and Bo) Honea, and Paula Brown survive her. Children ‘ Lisa (and husband John) Hanney, Kelton (and Deborah) Casey, and one grandson Evan Casey, brother-in-law Robert Casey (and wife Pat), all of Houston, Texas. Also, she has one niece, three nephews and one great-nephew, several aunts, uncles and cousins and many wonderful friends. Glenda Casey earned her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music Education from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. She received her Texas Professional Supervision certificate in 1986 and has completed all course work toward a doctorate degree in Secondary and Higher Education from Texas A&M University in Commerce, Texas. Glenda completed her 30th year of teaching in the Texas Public Schools System in May 2000. Her last teaching position was at Berkner High School in the Richardson Independent School District where she served as choral director for 19 years. Glenda also directed the Richardson Elementary All-District Choir composed of 95 6th grade students with at least one representative from all forty elementary schools in the district for 15 years. Professional offices and honors for Glenda include serving as Middle School/Junior High Vice President for the Texas Choral Directors Association (TCDA) in 1985-87, a two year term as President of TCDA in 1987-89, and a two year term as President of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) ‘ Southwestern Division in 1994-96. In 2005, the first year the award was presented, Glenda received the Texas Choral Excellence Award from TCDA recognizing her contribution to choral music in Texas, mentorship and inspiration to colleagues and students, and continued advocacy for the future of choral singing. Just after Glenda’s service as TCDA’s President, her husband, Jim, created the Glenda Casey Professional Scholarship, presented each year since to a TCDA member to help with costs of continuing education in the choral music profession. Glenda was a recipient of the Richardson RISE (Recognizing Innovation in Student Education) Foundation Teacher-of-the-Year Award for the 1993-94 school years. She was honored with the prestigious University Interscholastic League Denius Award in 1996. A Top-Ten graduate from Berkner High School recognized Glenda as Most-Influential-Teacher in 1987, 1995, and 1998. Glenda is co-author of Essential Elements for Choir which is a nationally distributed textbook written for choral music students in grades 7 through 12, published by Hal Leonard Corporation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The books have become the state-adopted textbooks in many states in the country, and they are also being distributed internationally. Professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Choral Directors Association, Texas Music Adjudicators Association, American Choral Directors Association, and Music Educators National Conference. The family is so thankful for many friends and family who supported us during Glenda’s illness. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Jim and Glenda Casey Scholarship/TCDA-512-474-2801. Cards, notes, well wishes can be sent to her family at 2937 Dog Leg Trail, McKinney, Texas 75069. As Glenda always said, ‘It’s Dark Thirty! Drive it to the Green, Girlfriend’. She will be greatly missed by all.
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