Former Pa. first lady Ellen Casey dies at 91

• By Janet Pickel/PennLive.com

Ellen Casey, the widow of Pa. Gov. Robert Casey and mother of U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, died Friday in Scranton, her son announced on X, formerly Twitter.

Casey Jr. said his mother died after a brief illness. She was 91.

Democrat Robert Casey was governor from 1987 to 1995. He died in 2000. He and Ellen Casey were married for 50 years and had eight children. Survivors include grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well.

A statement from the Casey family: pic.twitter.com/g0F9zKo9u6

— Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) August 11, 2023

Current Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro has ordered flags on state facilities, public buildings and grounds to fly at half-staff in Ellen Casey’s honor.

“Ellen was an ambassador for the commonwealth and her beloved home of Scranton. Like Governor Casey, she made family, health, and children part of her life’s work,” first lady Lori Shapiro said in a news release. “Her work to raise awareness around breast cancer, literacy and so much more made the lives of countless Pennsylvanians better.”

Ellen Casey was a liberal arts graduate of Marywood College in Scranton.

In 1990, The Patirot-News wrote that “officials in both the public and private sector credit her with bringing the literacy issue to the forefront in Pennsylvania and say her involvement has given many people the encouragement to learn how to read.”

In that story, John Christopher, director of the Education Department’s Division of Adult Basic and Literacy Education, described her as “a tremendous plus in helping the overall adult education program in Pennsylvania.”

”Mrs. Casey has been tremendous assisting in the adult literacy effort,” he said. “She has been to many graduations. She has been to prisons, and she has been to hospitals, meeting with the people. She even had a reception for 10 outstanding students last year.”

Former Pa. Gov. Tom Ridge said he and his wife, Michele, offered sympathy to the Casey family.

“When we first moved into the governor’s residence in January 1995, no one was more welcoming, open and gracious to our family than Ellen Casey,” he said in an statement. “Her thoughtfulness and generosity of spirit during that period of transition helped us immensely, especially Michele who as the new first lady welcomed Ellen’s good counsel about setting up a home in Harrisburg.

“Her leadership and advocacy on behalf of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition has positively impacted the lives of countless women across the commonwealth. Her work in that area continues to this day.

“All of us so admired Ellen’s strength during former Governor Casey’s significant health challenges and the care and love she shared not only with her husband but her entire family. She was always there for Governor Casey and the family, a true matriarch in every sense of the word.”