Casey Conrad McCowan
Casey Conrad McCowan
December 18th, 2025 – February 10th, 2025
*Author’s Note: The following excerpts in our “Life Stories” are from the Celebration of Life service for Casey Conrad McCowan for you to read, reflect, and pay your respects privately. Casey’s closest family gathered for a lakeside ceremony at Pedersen Park in Antioch, Illinois to honor his life and to take a healing step on their grief journey. It was an honor to learn about Casey’s impact on the world and to help his family. He will be dearly missed by many.
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My services included creating a treasured photo slideshow for loved ones to watch and reminisce.
Casey Conrad McCowan Tribute Slideshow (click here to watch)
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On behalf of Casey’s mother, Pat, thank you for being here today. Pat would also like to extend gratitude to Art and Chelsea Jackson, Pleasant House Pub Chicago, for providing a beautiful space earlier this year for Casey’s friends and family to gather to reminisce, eat, drink, sing karaoke, and celebrate his life. Pat very much appreciates Darrin, Melissa, and Gary for all their extra efforts with Casey’s celebration of life service. It was a great event, and Pat loved the tribute to Casey, and she loves you all very much.
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While the broken pieces of your heart will never quite be the same, know that Casey would not want your heart to be troubled. He would want you to embrace your life, live each day, and find joy and peace. They say that grief is love that has nowhere to go. Missing someone you love lasts for always. My most heartfelt wish for you is that your broken pieces may heal and be stronger and more beautiful because you knew and loved Casey. May you find comfort in sweet memories, and may you find peace in the ways you find him to still be a part of your present.
Maybe Casey is in a realm not all that far away. Maybe he can hear you when you speak about all the good times with him. Maybe he is reunited with his brother, Tony, and surrounded by love. Maybe, in some way, he’s right here. He loved this lake. He grew up here, fishing from the pier in his backyard. This was a happy place for Casey. Maybe you can think of him as having gone fishing.
This brings to mind a poem, and maybe you can hear Casey’s voice saying these words to you:
I’ve finished life’s chores assigned to me, So put me on a boat headed out to sea. Please send along my fishing pole For I’ve been invited to the fishin’ hole. Where every day is a day to fish, To fill your heart with every wish. Don’t worry, or feel sad for me, I’m fishin’ with the Master of the sea. We will miss each other for a while, But you will come and bring your smile. That won’t be long you will see, Till we’re together you and me. To all of those that think of me, Be happy as I go out to sea. If others wonder why I’m missin’ Just tell ’em I’ve gone fishin. -GONE FISHING by Dalmar Pepper
And that’s a beautiful image, your dear Casey gone fishing, smiling, peacefully enjoying every day, soaking in the beauty around him. Maybe you can think of him that way.
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Everyone at the hospital in Bloomington, IL seemed to know that Pat gave birth to Casey’s older sister, Missy, without a doctor. The OB-GYN had left for the day, thinking it would be a while until Missy’s arrival. Well, Missy had different plans, and she was born on the gurney as Pat was being rushed to the delivery room. Two years later, when Pat arrived at labor and delivery again, the doctor promised he would not miss this one. In fact, no one wanted to miss it. It seemed everyone had heard the story, from nurses to even a random gentleman in the elevator, and everybody was poised to help. The hospital was buzzing with excitement for Casey’s birth. And then at 3:43am he arrived- the week before Christmas, December 18th, 1981, all 8 pounds 6 ounces. Jonathon, Tony, Darrin, and Missy welcomed their little brother. And mom said that Casey was perfect.
Casey was a very good eater, but the doctor told Pat to stop overnight feedings because Casey, with his cute rolls, was gaining plenty of weight. Pat would lay on the floor by Casey’s crib until he slept through the night without a feeding. Pat recalls that Jonathon was really good with changing diapers and helped take care of Casey. Missy decided she wasn’t too keen on this baby, and once took Casey out of the play pen and put herself in. Casey grew up having a lot of fun with Missy. She made him use his left hand more, and Casey just went with it. He really loved his sister and all his siblings.
As he grew up, Casey enjoyed family and school. He was so happy when the family moved to the house on the lake in Antioch. He loved the outdoors and would run to the shore to fish every day. Casey would take his father’s movie camera and a yard stick to measure every fish, record it, and release the fish back into the lake. He wanted to make sure that the fish survived. In the winters, Casey would put on a Santa hat and ice skate around the lake, making mom a little nervous but ultimately bringing smiles to her and to the neighbors. Casey did not have much of a rear end to hold up his pants and even had to wear suspenders with his snow pants. Mom called him “no butt McCowan.”
Casey loved his mom. He sat by her and held her hand. They watched Wheel of Fortune together. He stood by his mom through her divorce, and mother and son found a way to check in with each other through playing Words With Friends. They’d know the other was okay by playing that game together every day.
Casey took up playing the guitar. He’d send birthday wishes with a tune, which his mom loved. He enjoyed learning the guitar, and he worked his way up to karaoke and jam sessions. He had a lot of fun with his music.
Casey graduated from Antioch High School in 2000. He had many interests and wanted to be a forest ranger, anthropologist, and chef. He went to Northeastern Illinois University and earned a degree in Anthropology. Pat and his family are so proud of all he accomplished!
Behind the scenes, Casey struggled with health issues. He had a tumor in his right ear and lost some of his hearing. He had diabetes and cardiomyopathy. He worked through a lot of pain to be a chef and to bring smiles to others. Pat said that she was talking with Casey about some new treatment that included psychedelics or something like that. He asked if mom was trying to get him on drugs, which of course she wasn’t. They had a big laugh together.
Casey, despite his medical challenges, enjoyed working in the food service industry as a cashier, barista, chef, and manager.
He was a talented musician who shared his love of music with friends far and wide. He took his guitar everywhere and was always ready to jam. He enjoyed living in Chicago, surrounded by friends. He loved nature, and, in the summers, you could find him gardening in the Lincoln Square Community Garden.
Pat said that Casey always saw the good in people. He took after his mom. Casey is loved beyond measure and will be missed forever.
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It does feel like Casey’s 43 years went by way too quickly. While no length of time with our loved ones will ever seem long enough, know that it was an absolute blessing to have had Casey present on this earth for over 4 decades. His time here and his time spent with each of you was a precious gift. When your world is feeling a little too empty, may you fill it with gratitude that your time here overlapped with Casey’s and that you were blessed to know him.
I invite you to share the memories, share the love today and in the days and years to come so that Casey’s legacy may endure. Embrace and share with others his qualities that you love and miss so much. Spend time with your family, cook a meal, strum a guitar, cast a line in a calm lake, and remember Casey.
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Casey will be forever loved and missed by his parents, his siblings and their spouses, several nieces and nephews, and many other dear family members and countless friends.
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Casey, may you rest in eternal peace knowing you are dearly loved.
My sincere condolences and love, Holly