Elizabeth Frances (Torza) Casale

Elizabeth "Betty" Casale passed away peacefully on the 19th of October 2012 surrounded by her loving family. She was born on December 27th, 1921 to Angelina and Frank Torza in Hartford, Connecticut and graduated from Hartford High School in the class of 1940. She began work at the S & A store on Park Ave, and moved on to be an inspector at the Colt Firearms factory. It was while she was an employee at The Royal where she met Camilla Casale, who introduced her to the love of her life, Joseph Lawrence Casale. They were married on May 22nd, 1943, and celebrated their 69th anniversary this past year. On January 14th, 1947, they had a son, Francis Joseph Casale. Betty leaves behind a lifetime of service devoted to the deaf. As a PTA member for the American School for the Deaf she performed various activities: acting as an interpreter, fundraising, tutoring students and running extra curricular activities. Those that knew her will agree that she was a woman who always put others before herself, whether it came to worthy causes or her closest friends and family. Joseph and Betty moved to their home in West Hartford in 1950. They traveled throughout the states, including Florida, New Orleans, and California. They also made several trips to Russia for their son's eye treatment. Betty accepted Christ as her Savior in 1983 when she and Joe visited Francis in Dallas,Texas. She leaves behind her husband, Joe; her son Dr. Francis Casale and his wife, Kimie; her two granddaughters, Naomi and Grace Casale; her sister, Josephine Rautio; her nephew, Arthur Rautio and his wife Manlika Tangchat, and grand-nephews, Eric and John Paul Rautio; and brother-in-law John Casale. She was predeceased by her brother Jack Torza and her sister Anne Castagno. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at the Church of Saint Thomas the Apostle, 872 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford. Burial will follow at Mount Saint Benedict, Bloomfield. Calling hours will be TODAY, 5 to 7 p.m. at the Taylor & Modeen Funeral Home, 136 South Main Street, West Hartford. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Helen Keller National Center (Deaf and Blind Training Center), 141 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point, NY 11050. For directions and online condolences, please visit www.taylorandmodeen.com.

Elizabeth Frances (Torza) Casale

October 19, 2012