Kimberly Beth Casey

Kimberly Beth Casey passed away peacefully at home on June 9, 2025. Though it was far too soon, Kim led a full, intentional life, chasing and creating beauty and joy wherever she went. Her journey stated in Cranbury, New Jersey, where she was born to Linda and Richard Kervan in 1978. Kim's thirst for adventure and new experiences next led her to Michigan after high school, where she met the love of her life, Dave Casey. Kim and Dave shared more than twenty years of marriage, eventually planting roots in Wausau where they raised three beautiful children: Lilyan, Miles, and Jackson.

Kim's passions were many and varied, and all focused on squeezing the most of every single moment of her one precious life. She loved travel: whether painstakingly planning her next sailing adventure with Dave, or a spontaneous trip to wherever she could catch a flight on a free weekend. She sang and danced her way through life: finding the best live music in town (as long as there was room to dance), and leading the family in rousing renditions from their favorite musicals. Kim was always on the hunt for new treasures at any thrift store she came across, and had a mind for imagining what upcycled craft she might be able to put together with her finds next. She poured herself into making the family cabin feel just right, and her excitement about every animal that came to visit will forever serve as a reminder of her. She loved learning and trying new things.

Before she had kids, Kim was an accomplished chef. After she became a mother, cooking became an expression of love, to the benefit of family and friends instead of restaurant-goers. As she emerged from early-parenthood, Kim discovered a love of fitness and made the YMCA her second home, where she became a champion for self-care; motivating and challenging others to be their best selves as a fitness instructor and personal trainer.

Kim had a kind soul and a warm heart. Her impact on the people around her was widespread. A self-proclaimed "people person," Kim had a special gift for making meaningful immediate connections with new people, and then she put care into nurturing those connections and turning them into deep, enduring relationships. Kim's smile could light up a room, and her silliness and sense of humor could make anyone laugh (and sometimes blush). She brightened the world for everyone who crossed her path and her energy was contagious. Everyone who knew her was better for it.

Above all, Kim's greatest passion was her family. She was a fiercely devoted mother and a loyal partner. She loved being a mom-tirelessly playing with the kids; creating games, crafts, hibernation days, musical instruments and more. She and Dave were a powerful team, sharing an unshakeable bond and storybook love, perfectly complementing each other in parenthood and in life. Kim's legacy lives on in her family. She will be deeply missed.

Survivors include her husband, Dave Casey, and their children: Lilyan, Miles, and Jackson. She is further survived by her father, Richard Kervan; her brother, Michael (Gina) Kervan; a large extended Casey family who welcomed her as one of their own; and a community of grieving friends and chosen family across Wausau and the country. Kim is preceded in death by her mother, Linda Watkins (f.k.a. Kervan).

A Celebration of Life will be held in the Jefferson Room at the Jefferson Street Inn on Sunday, June 15, 2025 from 1:00-4:00 pm. In lieu of memorial gifts or flowers, Kim would just hope that when you come across a stranger or a person in need, you might share some kindness or brighten someone's day.