Jeffrey M. Casucci

On Saturday, June 19, 2021, Jeffrey Michael Casucci, beloved husband, father, son, brother, cousin, and uncle passed away suddenly at the age of 49 years. Jeff’s zeal for life, hearty laughter, unmatched wit, brilliant mind, integrity, and generosity will forever be remembered by his wife of 24 years and best friend, Alicia, their four wonderful children Joseph, Robert, Isabelle, and Jeffrey “Jeb”,  his father, Michael Casucci and his wife, Vicki, of Fair Lawn, NJ, and his brother, Dominick Casucci and his wife Patty, of Flanders, NJ. Jeff will also be fondly remembered by his extended family: Carol and Russel Murray of Manchester, NJ, Fr. Russel Murray of St. Bonaventure, NY, Matthew Murray of Harrison, NJ, John and Doris Vander Wiele of Sandy Springs, GA, Christy and David Holcomb of Winston Salem, NC, and John and Emily Vander Wiele of Dunwoody, GA, his nieces and nephews, and an enormous number of close friends and extended family members. He was preceded in death by his mother, Marilyn Casucci.

A proud son of a military family, Jeff was born in Portsmouth, VA on January 9, 1972, and graduated from Bergen Catholic High School (NJ) in 1990. Jeff was a successful athlete and highly recruited to play college basketball as a center. He chose to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Army. Jeff’s years at West Point were the foundation for several deep and abiding friendships to include those with Joseph McGraw, Dolph Southerland and Jon “Hank” Ferko, their wives and children. With Courage We Soar! Beat Navy!

As a young lieutenant, Jeff met the love of his life, Alicia, in Atlanta, GA, while at Airborne School at Fort Benning, GA. Alicia was impressed by his bravery and fearlessness in jumping out of airplanes and Jeff quickly discovered what a real parachute was. They were married in the city where they met, Atlanta, on October 26, 1996, coinciding with the same night the New York Yankees (his team) beat the Atlanta Braves (her team) in the World Series. It was truly the most memorable night of his life!

After five years of honorable service in the U.S. Army, Field Artillery branch at Fort Sill, OK, Jeff transitioned to civilian life. He was thrilled to accept a position at BankAustria Creditanstalt in Greenwich, CT. Utilizing his dynamic leadership skills and sharp mind, he began a career in finance where he flourished. He held positions at Banque de Nationale Paris Paribas and TAL International Group, culminating as the Chief Financial Officer of Titan Containers.  As the Treasurer of TAL International Group, he had the memorable opportunity to be present on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange when they rang the opening bell and became a listed company. More meaningful to Jeff, however, were the relationships he developed with his colleagues. Jeff’s ability to find a common bond with everyone he met was truly impressive resulting in a network of professional and personal support at home and abroad.

Jeff had a passion for learning, earning several graduate degrees to include a Master of Arts in Economics at the University of Oklahoma, a Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Science in Accounting, both from the University of Connecticut. In August, 2019, Jeff entered the Doctorate in Business Administration at the University of Florida  to fulfill his dream of entering academia and sharing his vast experiences in finance and accounting with future business professionals. Most recently, Jeff was notified his doctoral dissertation proposal was approved and he also received word that a collaborative paper he worked on with colleagues from Wofford College would be published.

Jeff never forgot his military roots and remained connected to his brothers-in-arms supporting U.S. Military Veterans.  To that end, Jeff served for five years as the President of Sticks for Soldiers, Inc., a charitable organization designed to raise awareness among high school lacrosse players about the sacrifices of U.S. Veterans, wounded or injured while in service made on behalf of protecting their freedom through fundraising and competition at the annual Sticks for Soldiers Tournament.

Jeff was incredibly proud of his four children, Joe, Rob, Izzy and Jeb. His greatest joy was seeing them follow their own path to success, whether it be in the classroom, on the playing field or in the music studio. Jeff knew the importance of spending time with his children “making memories” and he was never more excited than when he was planning something special to do with them, together or individually.

A wake will be held on Tuesday, June 22 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Spear-Miller Funeral Home at 39 South Benson Road, Fairfield, CT.  A Catholic Funeral Mass will be celebrated in memory of Jeff on Wednesday, June 23 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 834 Brookside Drive, Fairfield, CT.

Jeff’s “happy place” was watching sports, either in person or on TV. If you would like to do something to honor Jeff in a special way, cheer loud and proud for his favorite sports teams: the New York Yankees, the New York Jets, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Penguins, the West Point Black Knights, the Oklahoma Sooners, the UCONN Huskies or the Florida Gators, and most especially the lacrosse teams of his children: the UMass Minutemen, the Lyndonville Hornets, the St. Joseph High School Cadets and the Marquette Golden Eagles.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The University of Florida Warrington Excellence Fund in memory of Jeffrey Casucci at UF Warrington Excellence Fund, or to SticksForSoldiers, Inc., at www.sticksforsoldiers.org. To leave an online condolence, please visit www.SpearFuneralHome.com