By Sharon Mager
INDIAN HARBOUR BEACH, Fl. — Jeannette Anne Casey, the wife of the Rev. Charles Casey, died on Dec. 19, 2018. She was 84.
Jeannette Casey was the first woman elected as GMB president.
Jeannette faithfully served with her husband in ministry. The couple started and pastored North Glen Community Church, in Glen Burnie, Md., and Calverton Baptist Church in Silver Spring, Md. They also pastored Valley Baptist Church in Lutherville, Md., and Temple Baptist Church in Baltimore, Md.
In addition to her support as a pastor’s wife, Jeannette also served churches by playing the organ and piano and serving as church secretary, Sunday School director, teacher, choir director, soloist, and sign language interpreter.
She was always hospitable, said her daughter Shivaun Kearney. “The family home was always open to anyone my father was counseling. When our church would have a guest speaker on Sunday, she would feed them lunch at our house after the service. This was a time before restaurants were open on Sundays.”
Jeannette was also active in denominational life, and in 1984 she was the first woman elected president of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware (BCM/D) General Mission Board (GMB) and she chaired the resolutions committee.
She led a Christian preschool at Valley Baptist Church where she started a “Mother’s Day Out” program that won the notice of local government child care agencies for her innovative use of hospital cribs and excellence in teaching. “Their officials would send other teachers to her so she could show them how to run a preschool,” Kearney said.
A musician and soloist, Jeannette was privileged to sing, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic “ at the White House North Portico facing Lafayette Park and at the Baltimore Phoenix Shot Tower in 1976 in conjunction with the United States Bicentennial celebrations.
Jeannette and Charles also had a passion to support and encourage married couples serving together in ministry and they led retreats for pastors and their wives at Skycroft Conference Center.
She loved her family and she was full of life. Kearney proudly added that her mother was on the ROTC women’s rifle team for the University of Texas at El Paso, and was an expert marksman. “That is the highest level you can achieve in marksmanship,” Kearney said.
Jeannette and Charles joined Woodbrook Baptist Church after retirement and were active members before moving to Florida.
In addition to her husband Charles, Jeannette is survived by her children, Shivaun (Doug), Charles Andrew (Kathleen), four grandchildren. Jack, Jarrod, Emily and Sarah; and three great-grandchildren, Xander, Emery, and Liam.
She is also survived by her sisters, Jane (Steve) Murray, Jerilyn (Michael) McGehee and her sister-in-law, Linda Wise.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Jewel Theus (nee Fuller) and Jefferson Davis and her brother, Jeffrey Wise.
Visitation will be 2 to 3 pm on January 5, 2019, at Beach Funeral Home East, 1689 S. Patrick Drive, Indian Harbour Beach, FL 32937.