Dr. Clarence J. Casella

Dr. Clarence J. Casella passed away peacefully in his sleep on June 16, 2026. Clarence was the beloved son of Joseph and Louise Casella and is survived by his devoted wife Veronica Ann Casella, his sister Camille Guerci and his five children: Diana Casella, Joseph Casella, Teresa Cultra, Veronica Kestell, Carolyn Casella, and their spouses, 13 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his siblings Mary Davis and Michael Casella.

Clarence was born on Staten Island in New York City on November 09, 1929. After finishing high school, he worked as a typesetter and was enrolled in drafting school when he was drafted into the army to serve in the Korean War. Stationed in Japan, he worked as a prison guard from 1951-53. Profoundly affected by this experience, he decided to attend college because in his words, “I wanted to learn about the world.” After he was discharged, he enrolled in Hunter College. Having a deep interest in nature, he found his calling in geology. The geology department at Hunter is where he met his lifelong partner of 67 years.

After graduating in 1956, Clarence continued his education at Columbia University. While studying at Columbia, he proposed to Veronica and they were married in 1959. In 1963, Clarence received his PhD in Geology. His PhD dissertation was a map of the Beartooth Mountains in south central Montana and northwest Wyoming.

He taught at Hunter College, Brooklyn College and four years at Villanova University in Pennsylvania before accepting a faculty position at Northern Illinois University, where he was an Associate Professor of Geology. During his time at NIU he taught an annual field camp of budding geologist at the South Dakota School of Mines, located in the Black Hills, and continued his research in Yellowstone National Park with his graduate students. In 1972 the U.S. Geological Survey published a Geologic Map of the Cleomedes Quadrangle of the Moon that Clarence coauthored with Dr. Alan Binder. After 30 years teaching, Clarence retired in 1995.

Clarence enjoyed many different activities and hobbies. He often traveled into Chicago to attend concerts at the Lyric Opera and the Chicago Symphony. He loved art museums and took painting lessons with his wife. His home is full of their beautiful oil paintings. His love of reading was so great that after retirement he joined the board of trustees for the Dekalb Public Library, playing an important role in the library’s expansion project.

One of his favorite pastimes was taking long walks in nature, alone and with his family, passing along a sense of wonder for the natural world to his children and grandchildren.

Mostly, our father inspired in each of us a quest for knowledge and a respect for the planet we call home.

He will live on in our hearts forever.

A celebration of life will take place at a later date. Cremation rites were entrusted to Finch Funeral Home 310 Oak St. DeKalb, IL 60115 815-758-3841.