Ray Lee Caskey was born February 24, 1940, in Hume, Missouri to James Alfred Caskey and Edith Irene Anderson Caskey. He married Jeri Leigh Hibler on June 6, 1965, in Clinton, Missouri. Despite his blindness, Ray Lee was a high achiever in school, attending public elementary and secondary schools in Bates County, Missouri. Ray Lee earned his bachelor’s degree from Central Missouri State University at Warrensburg, now the University of Central Missouri.
Ray Lee went on to earn a law degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia in June of 1965.Ray Lee was also elected by the faculty of the School of Law as a member of the Board of student editors of the Missouri Law Review. Ray Lee Caskey was a member of the Missouri Bar and the California bar for over 50 years. Ray Lee Caskey first began practicing law in 1966 at Sacramento, California for the Department of Water Resources, which was building the Oroville Dam.
In autumn 1967 Ray Lee and Jeri Leigh Caskey moved to Alton, opened his law practice, and become the Oregon County Prosecuting Attorney. During his career, Ray Lee was prosecuting attorney, magistrate judge, associate judge, circuit judge, and again prosecuting attorney. Ray Lee greatly enjoyed fishing (and goose hunting) all his life and truly loved the Eleven Point River and trout fishing. Ray Lee spent 50 years helping the Missouri Department of Conservation stock the Eleven Point River with trout and became really good friends with all the agents, especially Gary Cravens and Paul Veatch.
Ray Lee is survived by his wife, Jeri Leigh, of the home; brother, Leon Caskey of Clinton, Missouri; sister-in-law, Kay Caskey of Butler, Missouri; brother-in-law, Jackson Hibler and wife Michelle of Ontario, Canada; and many nephews, nieces, cousins with their spouses and descendants.
Funeral services will be Tuesday, March 14, 2023, with visitation from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Alton First Baptist Church and funeral service at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Edward Casey officiating. Graveside funeral service will be Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery, Butler, Missouri, where he will be buried beside his parents and where Jeri Leigh will follow him.
Contributions in lieu of flowers may be given to the Greer Mill Restoration Project, mailed to the Alton Bank, Post Office Box 7, Alton, Missouri 65606.
