Karen A. Breitenbach-Casey

McFARLAND, Wis./NEW LENOX, Ill.- Following a 5-year encounter with ALS, Karen A. Breitenbach-Casey passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, May 5, 2018, at the age of 63, with her loving husband, Doc and son, Steven, by her side. She was born on Aug. 30, 1954, to Donald and Evelyn (Curtis) Breitenbach. Karen was their 3rd child, 2nd daughter, born to the Breitenbach clan of eight children, including Verdell Hollow Horn Bear, a full-blooded Sioux Indian from the Rosebud Reservation in S.D., who came to live with the family for ten summers. He became a son to Donald and Evelyn and a brother to Karen and her siblings.  Karen graduated from McFarland High School in 1972, where she was very active in choir, academy D under Mr. Gene Olson, and cheerleading. She attended MATC for Business Data Processing and worked for Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship under David Sironi, graduating in 1976.  While working at CUNA Mutual, Karen acquired season tickets for UW Football, met and married the love of her life, John T. ‘Doc’ Casey, Jr., and gave birth to a son, Steven, settling in New Lenox, Ill. She began to volunteer her time teaching Catechism to 2nd Graders at St. Jude in New Lenox, while she worked for IRI, Inc. in Chicago, Ill. Later, Karen moved back to McFarland and worked for American Family Insurance and volunteered teaching Faith Formation to 2nd graders at St. Dennis in Madison. Along with Sue Duerst, she helped initiate St. Dennis’s involvement with the Schenk Elementary Nutrition Program. Karen is survived by her husband, Doc, of 29 years; father, Don; son, Steven; granddaughter, Abigail Evelyn; siblings, Lynne (David), Mark, Kathryn, Kurt (Laura), Janet (Eric), and Scott (Ann); maternal aunts and uncles, Eunice Dagnon, Dale (Bette) Curtis and Jim Davis; and in-laws, James, Carol, Jean (Steve), Charmaine (Tony) and Judy (Lonzel). She was preceded in death by her mother, Evelyn Breitenbach; brother, Verdell Hollow Horn Bear; paternal grandparents, Otto and Blanche Breitenbach; maternal grandparents, Lauren and Esther Curtis; father and mother-in-law, John T. Casey, Sr. and Ann T. Casey (nee Kurzweil); paternal aunts and uncles, Warren and Florence Breitenbach, Otto and Pat Breitenbach, and Elizabeth Jane; maternal aunts and uncles, Edna and Jake Trumm, Dick and Margie Curtis, Edith Davis, Dick Dagnon, and Ethel Ward. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at ST. DENNIS CATHOLIC CHURCH, 505 Dempsey Rd., Madison, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 12, 2018, with Fr. Randy Timmerman presiding. Burial will be held at Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the church from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Friday, May 11, 2018, and also at the church from 10 a.m. until the time of the Mass on Saturday. In lieu of flowers, donations can be given to St. Dennis Parish’s Faith Formation Program or the Parish’s Schenk Elementary Nutrition Program. The family would like to thank the Women of St. Dennis, the St. Dennis Respite team, and Lori Raulin for their visits and support. Karen was always cheered after those visits. We would also like to thank the staff of SSM Health at Home for their care in Karen’s final days, especially Sheri and Kathy. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Dr. (608) 221-5420