Donna Casey

Donna Lynn Casey passed away peacefully on October 25, 2025 surrounded by the love and support of her family. She was born in Hutchinson, Kansas on April 22, 1956 to Gary and Guyneth Casey. She graduated from Hays High School in 1974 and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree from Kansas State University in 1978, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education from Arizona State University in 1985, and a Masters of Arts Degree in Education from the University of Colorado in 1991. She was a member of the Tri Delta Sorority at Kansas State and stayed connected to this organization throughout her life, as she did with the many lifelong friends she made while she was there. She married her adoring husband Michael Friedman on July 4, 1987 in Hays, Kansas.

Donna had many loves in her life besides her family, which was always first and foremost. She loved teaching children and poured her heart and soul into it for over 30 years as a third and fourth grade teacher; first at Ahlone Elementary School in Palo Alto, California, at Norwood Elementary School in Norwood, Colorado, and for the majority of years at Crest View Elementary in Boulder. During her teaching career, Donna was admired, loved, and respected by her students, parents, and fellow colleagues. Ever the consummate professional, she was known for her love of Shakespeare, bringing to life each year a student-focused Shakespearean production that involved elaborate costumes, sets, and dialogue. Starting in 1995, young thespians were born under her guidance every year until her retirement. In addition to the cherished daily rewards that came from her students, Donna was the recipient of the Amgen Award for Teaching Excellence in 1997.

She loved tennis, pickleball, and golf. But more importantly, like teaching, she loved the friends she made in each of these pursuits even more. The same was true with her book club, her mahjong group, her hiking group, her birdwatching group, her feisty retired teacher’s group, and the neighborhood driveway group. New groups of friends seemed to sprout with regularity for every occasion and endeavor. And it was a similar story with her love of plays and performances at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Denver Art Museum, and the Colorado Shakespeare festival in Boulder. She was always up for a new adventure and travel somewhere. She went to many different places with her friends, and also traveled with her husband on adventures to numerous countries in Central America, Asia, and Europe, and with close friends on trips to Spanish language school in Buenos Aires, and the Galapagos Islands.

She is survived by her loving husband of 38 years Mike Friedman (Boulder, CO), her mother Guyneth Casey (Tonto Verde, AZ), and brother Roger Casey (Becky, Mission Viejo, CA), and numerous nieces, nephews and their children. She is preceded in death by her father Gary Casey on February 15, 2025. Like her dad, she may be gone from our sight, but she will never be gone from our hearts. Even as the end approached, when things got excruciatingly painful and unnerving, she coped with a strength and dignity that very few people possess. Donations should be directed to the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center in Boulder in her name, the Longmont Tru Care Hospice facility in her name, to a charity of choice in her name, or to the Gary Dean Casey Memorial Basketball Scholarship, Fort Hays State University Foundation, PO Box 1060, Hays, KS 67601, or foundation.fhsu.edu/donate

A celebration of her life is planned at the Unity Columbine Spiritual Center, 8900 Arapahoe Road, in Boulder on December 6, 2025 starting at 2 p.m. All those who knew and loved Donna are invited to attend.