Alan Lee Casey, 56: Photographer, painter despite rheumatoid arthritis

By Rick Badie

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Signs of rheumatoid arthritis appeared when Alan Casey was in his early 20s. The disease gradually worsened, but he fulfilled his artistic pursuits despite the affliction.

For a decade, he and his wife, Janet, ran Focus Photography, a wedding and portrait studio, out of their home in Marietta. When his condition made the wedding circuit unwieldy, he began photographing nature and landscape scenes.

"He actually went back to the type of photography he loved," said his wife of 26 years.  "It didn't matter that his hands didn't work right. "

Years of medication to treat the rheumatoid arthritis took a toll on the banker's vital organs. Tuesday, Alan Lee Casey died from complications of chronic diseases at Tranquility House in Marietta. He was 56. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at West Ridge Church in Dallas. West Cobb Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Casey worked in the banking industry for more than 30 years. He started in the credit-card services department at CNS Bank. His current job had been with Bank of  North Georgia, where he'd been senior vice president in the credit division the past eight years.

Bill Fallaw worked with Mr. Casey at CNS and other banks. At Bank of North Georgia, Mr. Fallaw is the regional credit officer; Mr. Casey was his right-hand man.

"Alan was a consumer credit expert, and I always wanted him with me," said Mr. Fallaw of Brookhaven. "He could recall regulations from memory. Very smart. He could serve as a point, counterpoint to my suggestions. We could argue, then go to lunch."

In 1984, the Caseys married. When they were getting ready to purchase their wedding pictures, Mr. Casey posed an idea.

"We could open our own wedding photography business," he said.

In 1985, they did, and ran Focus Photography for 10 years.

"We shot tons of weddings in Atlanta," she said. "I would go along with him and help, which was the best part. He did it till he couldn't do it anymore."

So when shooting weddings proved too strenuous, he photographed Mother Nature. His colorful photos of grist mills and waterfalls sold at art shows in the Blue Ridge Mountains. He also maintained a Web site, www.alancasey.net.

In it, he wrote: "Rise early and seize each day; meld mind and heart for greatest creativity; follow your dreams and always do your best."

Recently, Mr. Casey had started dabbling in pastels and watercolors.

"All these different things fulfilled him in different ways," his wife said. "To say any one was his favorite, I couldn't say. He really did enjoy the watercolor and he never got the opportunity to master the pastels. He felt he could do anything."

Additional survivors other than his wife include a daughter, Alyson Casey and a son, Nicholas Casey, both of Marietta; parents Adez Bennett Casey and William Eugene Casey of Acworth; a brother, Michael Casey and a sister, Jan Casey Elrod, both of Marietta.