Eleanor M. "Ellie" Casey

Eleanor M. Casey of Silver Spring, MD passed peacefully into God’s welcome arms with her family’s blessings on Saturday, February 1 at Homewood at Plum Creek, Hanover, PA, at the age of 95, surrounded by her family during her last days.

Ellie was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and friend to many.

She is survived by her daughter, Barbara J. Barton and granddaughter Christine Barton of Annapolis, MD, her granddaughter, Lisa Vander, her husband Andre and her great grandson, Phoenix of Costa Rica.

Her daughter, Janice L. Shanz of Littlestown, PA, and granddaughter, Jennifer Waltemeyer, her husband Bryon and great granddaughter, Katelyn Grace of Eldersburg. Her granddaughter Dawn Lafey of Annapolis, MD. Her first son-in-law, Curtis W. Lafey of Annapolis, MD and father of her granddaughters, Dawn & Jennifer.

Her son, David A. Burnham of Vienna, VA, her grandchildren, Brittany Burnham of New York City, Alexandra Burnham and Tyler Burnham of Oakhill, VA.

Her only living sibling, Dorothy Waggener of Peoria, AZ. Eight nieces, three nephews, 21 great nieces & nephews, 18 great-great nieces & nephews and four great-great-great nieces & nephews.

Ellie was blessed with an extended family when she married Robert Casey on April 30, 1988. She is survived by Catherine“Cathie” Casey Flavin, her husband David of Eliot, ME, her grandchildren, Moira Flavin and husband Ian Hardouin of Brooklyn, NY, Brendan Flavin and wife, Stephanie, great grandchildren, David and Max of Portsmouth, NH.

She is also survived by Robert “Rob” A. Casey II, his wife Cheryl, her granddaughter Virginia of Richmond, VA. Her granddaughter, Suzanne Casey Bandish and her husband, Gregory, SMSGT, USAF of Arlington, VA.

Christopher “Chris” Casey and his life partner, Roberta Graham of Atlantic Beach, FL.

James “Jim” Casey and his wife Irene of Crofton, MD and her grandchildren, Caroline of San Francisco, CA and Robert and Amanda of Washington, D.C.

Edmund “Ted” Casey and his wife Laurie of Enrico, VA. Her granddaughter, Samantha Casey Fanelli and her husband, Jon, Captain US Army currently stationed in Leavenworth, KS with her great grandsons Bryan & Emerson. Her granddaughter Brynn Casey Knupp and her husband, Kyle, Staff Sgt US Air Force, currently stationed in Sydney Ramstein, Germany.

Her brother-in-law Joseph Casey and his wife, Beatrice of Scituate, MA and brother-in-law Donald Casey of Dedham, MA.

Born on Sunday, December 14, 1924 in Streator, Illinois, Eleanor was the daughter of the late Suzana Barlog Sabol Yuhas and Andrew Yuhas. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Robert A. Casey. Her first husband, Fred E. Burnham and father of her three children. Her sisters, Mary Crouch, Virginia O’Brien, her brother Leonard John Yuhas, her half- brothers George, Andrew & Edward Yuhas, her brother Thomas who died at 6 months of influenza and her brother David, who was stillborn.

She was also predeceased by her nephew, Andrew Yuhas Waggener, her niece, Patricia Yuhas O’Brien and her great nephew, Daniel Yuhas O’Brien.

Eleanor was born and raised in a small town, Streator, lllinois. Her parents were immigrants from Czechoslovakia who entered the United States through Ellis Island. Her mother, Suzana, arrived in Streator on January 12, 1921 and married her father, Andrew Yuhas 14 days later. Andrew was a widower with three young sons. Her mother quickly became pregnant and Mary, her oldest sister, was born in November 1921. Eleanor was born in 1924 followed by her sister Virginia, her brother John and the baby of the family Dorothy.

They were a family of very modest means. Her father worked in the coal mines, the railroad, Streator’s brickyard and finally as a welder. Her mother provided for the family from a huge vegetable garden & fruit trees, canning for the winter months. They had chickens and pigs, traded eggs for milk from a neighbor.


Eleanor’s parents were very proud, but finally had to accept some charity during the depression for their children’s shoes. Her father, Andrew, could repair & resole shoes, but couldn’t figure out how to make them from scratch. He often carried his children to school on his shoulders, not because the snow was too deep, but because they couldn’t get their shoes wet.

Her parents were devout Lutherans, so a lot of their life was centered around church activities. Eleanor and her siblings taught their mother how to speak English, which she spoke and wrote in “broken English” until the day she died.

Eleanor’s first great adventure was after graduating high school, during World War II, she went to Washington, D.C. to work as a secretary for the war department. Her parents were devastated and sent her older, married sister, Mary whose husband was overseas, as a chaperone.

Shortly thereafter, she met & married Fred Burnham and her first daughter Barbara was born in less than a year. They moved to Dayton, Ohio where her other two children, Janice and David were born.

The greatest love of Ellie’s life was her family and she shared a very close relationship with her siblings and the generations that followed. Vacations were often spent with family and holidays were spent crammed into her parents’ very small, two bedroom, one bath house in Streator. A very large family of adults and children slept wherever they could, mostly on the floor.

Ellie’s children were her first priority. There was always freshly made from scratch dessert as an afterschool snack. She never missed a school event including sports in which her son, David, was very active from little league throughout high school. She was an excellent seamstress and spent many a late night making Halloween costumes and prom dresses. She was always available to put band aids on little hurts. As her children became teenagers, then adults, as their hurts and problems became larger, she was always there to offer her shoulder to cry on. Ellie celebrated her children’s successes and supported them in times of distress.

Ellie was an avid gardener and her yard was always the envy of the neighborhood. She was active in the church forever baking something for an event. She took up painting as a hobby and her paintings still hang in her children’s homes. Ellie loved entertaining and did it with great flair.

Ellie hit a rough patch when she and her first husband got divorced. She “pulled herself up by her boot straps” and went back to work, not having worked outside her home since she was twenty and created a new life for herself. She worked for the National Institutes of Health, Office of the Director as Executive Assistant to the Director.

She married Robert Casey on April 30, 1988 and together they enjoyed many adventures with lots of travel including a cruise with friends to Alaska. Now with an extended family, holidays were even a greater joy. Ellie and Bob both loved their “new families” and were grateful that their “new families” loved each other as well. They made a huge move later in their life from a single family home to a luxury high rise condo in Leisure World, Silver Spring, MD and enjoyed an active social life.

After Bob passed in December 2008, Ellie maintained her independence living in her condo until 2019, when she moved in with her daughter, Janice. This was yet another life adjustment. Ellie was never fond of animals and yet, she made friends with two big chocolate labs and several kitties. The “pups” loved and protected Ellie. They developed a morning routine in which after she was out of bed, they would come and greet her until she shooed them away to get dressed. One of them was always at her side throughout the day.

Ellie was a huge Washington Nationals fan. She knew all the players, their positions and their family situations. She, Janice and her son-in-law Dan, never missed a game. They all whooped, hollered at the wins, commiserated together at the losses. She was also a Redskins football fan. There was never a lack of football games on TV.

Ellie was astute until her stroke on May 22, 2019. She managed her own finances including speaking with her stock broker, was an avid reader completing a novel about every couple of days, was very engaged in world events watching several hours of CNN daily. Fortunately, she, Janice and Dan shared the same political views.

Ellie never walked again after her massive stroke. She worked and battled to regain use of her arms & hands, and to find her speech. With a lot of effort and therapy, she was finally able to feed herself. Her greatest frustration was that her brain still comprehended, but she struggled to express herself with words. Everyone developed a new pattern of communication.

Ellie celebrated her 95th birthday with family coming from as far as Maine. It was her happiest day since her stroke. She was surprised, delighted and enjoyed her family.

Ellie was truly an amazing woman, was admired and loved by her family and friends. Her impact upon our lives will be forever felt. Her ability to love, sacrifice, provide, support and admonish when necessary will continue to be life lessons for all her knew her. Her passing leaves a hole that only she can fill. Ellie will live on in the hearts of her family and friends.

A funeral service will be held at 12PM on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at Panebaker Funeral Home, 311 Broadway, Hanover, with The Rev. Chris Thomas officiating. The family will receive friends from 10AM to 12PM prior to the service. Ellie will be laid to rest immediately following the service in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Veteran Garden.

A reception will be held following the graveside service at Altland House, 1 Center Square, Abbottstown, PA 17301.