Tracy "Nessa" McCasey

Tracy Lee “Nessa” McCasey passed away at the age of 62 on April 7th, 2022 after enduring a long illness with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). A rare disease, MSA is similar to Parkinson’s but more aggressive.

Nessa was a poet. 
 

Born March 11, 1960 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, she went to Howell High School, the University of Michigan for a B.A. In English Language and Literature, and obtained certification as a Poetry Therapist from the National Association of Poetry Therapy (part of the Expressive Arts in Healing, such as Music Therapy, Art Therapy, or Dance Therapy). She was a Mentor with and a Director of the International Academy for Poetry Therapy, an educational and training organization for therapeutic writing. 

Nessa also lived and wrote in Colorado and Texas, working in the latter state as an editor and technical writer at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, a NASA contractor in Houston. She founded the Spiritual Expressions Group at Fountain Street Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan; belonged to a Women's Spirituality Group of five women that met twice a month for more than two decades; and proudly served on the community mental health authority called Network 180 where she advocated for families seeking help with mental health, substance use, or intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Nessa kept reading, buying books, and (despite the physical ravages of MSA) published a book of her own poems last year called The Container, a metaphor for things harsh and difficult to manage. The book is available through Amazon and is the result of years of using paper and pen as a container. Nessa is loved by all those she has touched with her poetry, her purposefulness, and that smile that can warm even the most frozen hearts in the land. 

Nessa McCasey leaves a spouse, Brad Miller, a son, Christopher Dostal, and a daughter, Brook Miller (Charles Mumma), protected with the wisdom and kindness conveyed to them for many blissful years. Nessa’s sister Janice (Rob) Dockter and brother Daniel McCasey; sister and brother-in-laws in the Miller family; and numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, and very special aunts and uncles will all miss her radiant smile. She was preceded in death by parents Thomas Patrick McCasey III and Elsie Mae (Howe) McCasey; a nephew, Hunter Patrick McCasey; and a brother-in-law, Arthur Darwin “Tex" Miller, Jr.

A Celebration of Life Memorial for Nessa McCasey will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2022.

Celebration Service - 11:00am Eastern Time in the Sanctuary

Celebration Gathering - 12:00pm to 2:00pm in the Social Hall

Fountain Street Church

24 Fountain St. NE

Grand Rapids MI 49503

Phone: 616-459-8386

Streaming on YouTube at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/c/fountainstreetchurch

Donations in her memory may be made to her favorite organizations: 

• Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain St NE, Grand Rapids MI 49503

• Lila Weisberger / Poetry on the Bridge, 524 East 72 Street, Suite 37DE, New York NY 10021 USA

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