Clarence Allen Casebier

Clarence Allen Casebier "Casey"
"My Dad" Clarence Allen Casebier was born February 13, 1928, in Whittier, Calif. The family moved to Southern Oregon in 1932. They lived in Klamath Falls, Midland, Ashland, and Medford areas. Completing his eighth grade in school, Casey worked with his father delivering produce to and from Central California. At age 17 he joined the Merchant Marines and served during World War II in the Pacific Theater until 1947. I once asked Dad what the difference was between the Merchant Marine ships and Naval supply ships and he said, "they had bigger guns and a lot more of them." He served on several ships including: SS Cushman K. Davis, SS George Flaval, SS Whitman, and SS Rider; two of which were sunk while he was serving on them. Through contacting the U.S. Department of Defense on Dad's behalf, Dad received his military service records and awards in 2004.
After the war, he returned to Southern Oregon. Casey married Angela Mulani and had a daughter, Sharon. He worked for various logging companies including Budden and Brown Logging. One of the jobs took him to log coastal redwoods in Northern Calif.
In 1958, Dad met Mom; Sybil Lively, while she was working as a clerk at the Safeway store in Fortuna, Calif. They married and lived in Garberville, Calif. Georgia Pacific hired Dad, as a logging superintendent and they moved with their three sons, Daniel, David, and Donald, to the Georgia Pacific Big Lagoon Logging Camp. During this time, Dad helped discover the world's largest tree, a coastal redwood, which is chronicled in the July, 1964 National Geographic. We spent many weekends building a summer cabin in Trinity Village, Hawkins Bar, Calif. Dad suffered a logging accident, which broke his back and ended his career with Georgia Pacific. The doctors said Dad might never walk again, after surgery and months in the hospital, Dad did overcome that obstacle and we then moved to Willow Creek, Calif. We lived at the Big Foot Golf and Country Club where Dad managed the restaurant and bar. Dad was later hired by Carolina Pacific to manage three of their Northern California operations. We moved into our cabin in Trinity Village. He briefly had a partnership in a sawmill near Mt. Hebron, Ore., but decided to purchase the Sports and Spirits, a sporting, liquor and grocery store, staying in the Willow Creek area.
In 1976, we moved to Medford, Ore. Dad purchased the Southern Oregon Dry Kiln, renaming it White City Dry Kiln. During those years, some of Dad's greatest pleasure was operating large equipment and managing building projects. Then Dad bought the All American Stud mill in Jasper, Ore. and later consolidated the two plants to the Jasper location. Dad retired in 1995. Dad was always busy with side businesses and projects, and helping others with business ventures. Dad enjoyed building things out of wood and metal. One of Dad's businesses was Dick and Casey's Cannery in Brookings, Ore., which also allowed him to spend time ocean fishing for salmon and bottom fish. He loved hunting and fishing and had so many fond memories fishing with Billy Pearson on the Klamath and Trinity rivers. And hunting in Sumpter, Ore. with Stan Foley and the boys. In his Georgia Pacific years he played and managed a softball team. Dad was an avid golfer and maintained a single digit handicap for many years. He was an avid supporter of the local 4H.
Dad is survived by his wife, Sybil Casbier of Medford, Ore.; brother, Robert (Edythe) Casebier of Medford, Ore.; daughter, Sharon (Allen) Laird of Klamath Falls, Ore.; sons, Dan (Kelly) Casebier, David (Kathy) of Medford; and Don (Karey), of Jacksonville, Ore., grandchildren: Kari (Wes) Adams, of Klamath Falls, Ore., Jeff (Heidi) Laird, of Springfield, Ore.; Casey (Rachel) Casebier, of Medford, Ore., Stacey (Joe) Borelli, of Boise, Id., Katelyn and Dallas Casebier, Megan, Benjamin and Nicholas Casebier, of Medford, Ore.; great grandchildren: Allen Adams, Avery and Owen Laird.
His father, Allen Clarence Casebier, mother, Elizabeth Ann Dunham, brother, David Casebier, and cousins, Jack Casebier, Joe Challis, and Bobby Casebier, precede him in death.
Funeral services will be held 1:00 p.m. Thursday, March 13th, at Medford Seventh-day Adventist Church, 1900 Greenwood Street, Medford, Ore. Interment to follow at Memory Gardens, 1935 Arnold Lane, Medford, Ore.