Thomas "Tom" R. Casper, 77, passed away Wednesday, March 19, 2025, with his family at his side. Tom's passing was a peaceful conclusion to a courageous journey with lung cancer, diagnosed the same day his first grandson, Olin Thomas Casper, was born 20 months ago.
Tom was born May 15, 1947, to Thomas and Jean (Garrity) Casper of Freeport, IL. He grew up in a lively household with three brothers and two sisters. As kids, they helped at their grandparents' long-standing family businesses, Garrity Drug and True Value Hardware. The family spent many vacations at lake cottages and often visited Grammy and Gramps' lake house on Pleasant Lake, WI. As a teenager, Tom's energy sometimes led to trouble, but even groundings turned productive-he twice built hydroplane racing boats from plans in Popular Mechanics magazine.
Tom graduated from Aquin Catholic High School in Freeport, IL, in 1965 alongside a group of friends that would remain for life, including his unofficial prom date and future wif

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