Kathy Casciani

Kathleen Casciani passed away Monday May 23, 2016 in Traverse City with her husband Anthony by her side holding hands after a six year battle with cancer. She was 52 years old. Kathleen Christine Casella was born at Saint Claire's Hospital in New Jersey in 1963. The youngest daughter of Peter and MaryAnn Casella, she enjoyed her childhood in the beautiful northeast surrounded by a large, Italian family. Spending her days climbing and eating from the fruit trees, you could eventually find her in the blackberry fields. The Casellas moved to Florida in the late 1970's. She adored school and firmly believed had it not been for her tremendous educators and their encouragement, she may have never been given the opportunities offered to her in life. Her goals and dreams were science and music.

A hard working straight 'A' student, Kathleen excelled and earned honors in her favorite areas of biology, bacteriology, zoology and limnology. She attended middle and high school in Lakeland, Florida with early ambitions on medicine, along with research goals to help find a cure for Alzheimer's disease. She adored working with the elderly and accepted any opportunity to create a dignified and safe impact on her senior residents. Kathleen was very active in school theater and musical productions. She was an accomplished vocalist and enjoyed covering a wide variety of music. She enjoyed learning and playing different instruments, but piano was her favorite. Kathleen was a passionate animal lover, enjoyed pets her entire life and was involved in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.

Prepared for science, driven by music, her travels took her throughout the United States and the Virgin Islands. Kathleen settled in Sarasota, Florida where she met her husband, Anthony Casciani while working as a graphic designer for his family business. They moved to Traverse City in 1995 and opened Traverse City Print and Copy Center. They were welcomed with enthusiasm by the Traverse City business community and made great friends over the next 20 years.

Anthony and Kathleen enjoyed discovering bicycle trails throughout several states, and spent many weekends and vacations enjoying them. They were also fascinated by the mines and the business of energy, taking them to parts further north and to other states. They enjoyed being close to the amazing freighters travelling the great lakes with all of their important energy cargo.

Kathleen is preceded in death by her mother, oldest sister and youngest brother. She is survived by her husband, children, father, older brother and sisters.

Cremation has taken place. No memorial is scheduled. Kathleen wanted only smiles and laughter when friends and family remembered her. She wanted compassion for the elderly from those that would, and kindness to the animal world by those that could.

Please visit www.lifestorytc.com to sign the guest book and share a message with her family. The family chose Life Story Funeral Home, Traverse City.