Thomas Patrick Casey was born in Auckland, New Zealand; son of Leo Francis Casey, a railway worker, and his wife Mary Casey (nee O’Sullivan). He had one brother, Richard Casey; and two sisters, Mary Margaret Ellen Casey and Barbara Frances Casey.

He was always known as Tom, rather than Thomas. On 17 May 1952, he married Elizabeth Agnes (known as Betty) Matthews in Kaponga, Taranaki. Tom and Betty had three children: Mark Stephen (born 13 December 1958), Sarah Margaret (born 26 June 1960) and Jane Elizabeth (born 12 August 1962).

Tom attended Good Shepherd primary school and then St Peter’s College, where he was Dux in 1944, and was awarded a University Scholarship. In 1945, he went to the University of Auckland to do Medical Intermediate for Otago Medical School. He recorded the highest marks of any Medical Intermediate student that year. At the end of 1950, he graduated MB ChB from Otago Medical School. He was House Physician and House Surgeon at Palmerston North Hospital in 1951 and 1952. In 1953 and 1954, Tom was sole charge general practitioner for Te Araroa on the East Cape of the North Island.

In 1955 and 1956, he worked and studied in London, and achieved MRCP. In 1957, he passed MD (New Zealand) Examinations in Medicine and in 1958, achieved MRACP. From late 1956, until the end of 1961, he was in a partnership General Practice in Hamilton. From 1962 to 1967, he was a Senior Lecturer in the Pathology Department of Otago University.

His MD Pathology was awarded in 1965, without examination, based on the quality of his thesis. In 1967, he passed the American Education Council for Medical Graduates Examination with a mark of 90%. In 1968, he took up a US Public Health Postdoctoral Fellowship, and was based in the Haematology Department of Mt Sinai Hospital in New York City. In 1969, he was awarded a Fellowship of The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (FRCPA). Between 1964 and 1969, Tom authored or co-authored 25 publications, covering a wide range of aspects of Haematological disorders, with an emphasis on immune and autoimmune disease and function.

In 1969, he joined the practice of Laboratory Diagnostic Service (LDS) in Auckland, in partnership with Drs John Sullivan, Selwyn Hills, and Donald Porter. In 1970, he took up a part-time appointment as a Clinical Haematologist in the Haematology Department at Auckland Hospital, and was also appointed as a Clinical Reader at the University of Auckland School of Medicine. He became very much involved in both undergraduate and postgraduate training.

The Laboratory Diagnostic Service practice grew progressively with an influx of younger partners, and under Tom’s careful guidance there was strong emphasis on quality and service. Automation and computerisation were emerging, and the laboratory was one of the early leaders in these areas. He took over the chairmanship of the group and in the mid 1970s, the Pathology Laboratory group joined with LDS to form the newly named Diagnostic Laboratory. Because of the rapid growth of the organisation and the demands of modern community based laboratory medicine, Tom decided to relinquish his hospital and university appointments.

He now had a group of pathologists around him who were well trained and experienced, and the focus of the laboratory was very much on technical advancement, quality control and excellent service delivery. There was also a strong ethos of staff involvement in all aspects of the laboratory and a considerable focus on staff welfare. Despite the growing size of the organization, a strong family feeling was retained.

Over the years Tom had a number of health issues to deal with and in 1988, he resigned from active practice and went into a well-earned retirement. Sadly, he had continued battles with multiple health issues and he died at the age of 71 years, just at the turn of the Millennium.

Those who worked with Tom will remember a meticulous professional who was the mentor of many, at all levels and respected by all. He was always concerned about the welfare of others and a devoted family man. He was lovingly cared for by his wife Betty and his children in the last few years of his life when he needed much support. He was survived by Betty (who died in 2006), his three children, and ten grandchildren.