Joseph Casner III

Joseph Casner III, of Moodus, CT, fondly known as Joe, passed away peacefully at home on November 4, 2025, in the arms of his loving family after a long illness which he fought defiantly and with dignity. He was 84 years old. Joe was born on September 19, 1941, in New Haven, CT. He was a son of the late Joseph, Jr. and Irma (Milles) Casner. He graduated from Hopkins school in 1957 and from there, he attended the University of Connecticut.
He was a proud Vietnam War era veteran having served with the US Army as a Military Police Officer stationed in Germany from 1965 – 1967. Joe married the love of his life, Colleen McMeel on June 27, 1987 and they had 1 child together. The family loved vacationing together in the Caribbean and Arizona's warm and sunny spots during the winter months. Joe shared his knowledge, strategy and the importance of sportsmanship when coaching Little League and soccer in Madison, Essex and Old Saybrook when his children were young. Joe was an avid Cleveland Indians (Guardians) and Cleveland Browns fan. UCONN men's basketball and trips to March Madness games were made annually. Joe loved to experiment in the kitchen and most of his recipes involved fresh seafood. In his free time, Joe was a stellar tennis player and enjoyed golf in his later years. He retired from McKesson Drug Company in 1997 after a successful career lasting 30 years. Most importantly, Joe will be remembered as a hard-working family man, devoted to his community and country.
He will be sadly missed but always remembered with love by his wife of 38 years, Colleen; his children and their spouses, Ryan Casner of Port St. Lucy, FL, Jeffrey (Hyunkyoung) Casner of Jacksonville, FL, Jonathan Casner of Chester, VT, Chip (Donna) Casner of Flagstaff, AZ, Kari Casner of Jacksonville, FL; four grandchildren, Quinn, Zane, Shae, Cheyenne; a brother, Robert (Kathleen) Casner of Lyme, CT, a sister, Sharyn (Gordon) Campbell of Orenco Station, OR; and many extended family members and friends. In addition to his parents, Joe was predeceased by a sister, Suzanne Casner. The family would like to express their gratitude for the compassionate care given to Joe by the nurses and staff at the Smilow Infusion Center in Glastonbury and Smilow at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford. Gratitude and thanks also to the countless blood donors whom we have never met. Through their donations, Joe was able to spend more time doing what he loved, with those he loved.
In lieu of flowers, if possible, please consider donating blood to the American Red Cross and please share the importance of blood donation with others. A celebration of life is planned to take place on Saturday, December 6th from 1 – 3 PM at the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home, 167 Old Hartford Rd., Colchester. Full military honors will follow at 3 PM. For online condolences or to share a story of Joe with his family, please visit www.auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com
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