Mrs. Marilyn Thompson Casey was the spouse of Rev. Robert T. Casey and mother of Rev. Helen Casey-Rutland.
Marilyn Thompson Casey died June 9, 2026, surrounded by family at home in Williamsburg. Born April 27, 1934, in Easton, MD, she was the eldest of three daughters of Sue Lovelace and Claude Thompson. She was predeceased by her parents, her sister Mary Sue Thompson Stevenson, and her brother- and sister-in-law Lewis and Ercil Casey. She is survived by her husband of nearly 69 years, Robert Tewning Casey, son Brian Casey (Julianne), daughter Helen Casey-Rutland (Randy), grandchildren Elizabeth, Robert, and Carter Casey-Rutland and Isabella, Zachary, and Alexandra Casey, sister Nanci Youngblood (Bill), cousin Ellen Bell, brother-in-law Chuck Stevenson, brother-in-law Carlton Casey (Beth), nieces Gaela Youngblood (Jeff Lawley), Carolyn Casey (Scott Fassbach), Catherine Casey Nottingham (Chip), and nephews Derek Youngblood (Lara), Charles Stevenson (Anna), Ben Casey (Loan Lieu), Cole Casey, and Winston Casey, and numerous other in-laws and friends.
Marilyn attended public schools in six states, completed two years at Asbury College, and graduated from Emory University as one of a dozen women in Emory’s first coed undergraduate class. As a Methodist US-2 missioner, she served as houseparent for preschoolers at Harpst Home in Cedartown, GA, before marrying and moving to Virginia as the lifelong partner of her husband in ministry. Together they lived in nine different Virginia communities before retiring to Robert’s hometown of Williamsburg in 1996.
Marilyn invested herself in family, church, and people, making room in her home and her heart for neighbors, newcomers, and strangers alike, including and especially those who were marginalized. Her smile and welcome extended to everyone. Across her life she stood up for inclusion and justice even when her stance was unpopular. She worked for desegregation during the civil rights movement in Virginia, and in more recent years was a consistent advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in church.
Her lifelong love of children extended beyond her family. She supported and volunteered with Child Development Resources and the Early Childhood Music School at WUMC. She taught generations of children in Sunday School. She maintained a collection of toys for kids of all ages long after her own descendants had outgrown them, but they were never out of use for long. The children of relatives, friends, and neighbors found in her an attentive and playful friend.
A lifelong reader, she encouraged her children and grandchildren to read widely, and, if she heard discussion about banning a particular book, she considered the controversy a ringing endorsement and promptly ordered it. She appreciated the power and beauty of words, and found joy in phrases that were clever, and in those that were amusingly not quite right. She will be deeply missed by those who knew her, and her absence will be felt in all the places she brightened with her gracious hospitality and care for the person in front of her.
Memorial donations may be made to Williamsburg United Methodist Church (williamsburgumc.org) or Child Development Resources (cdr.org) so that many more people can experience the welcome and love she cultivated wherever she went.
Her funeral followed by a reception will be Sunday, June 14, 4 pm, at Williamsburg United Methodist Church. Burial Monday, June 15, 11 am, Cedar Grove Cemetery, Williamsburg.