Rev. John Smith Cassidy Jr.'s Obituary
The Rev. John Smith Cassidy, Jr. died at home due to complications from congestive heart failure on Saturday, January 30, 2016 in Kihei, Maui, Hawaii at the age of 71. He was born on August 6, 1944 in San Francisco, California, the only child of John and Naomi (nee Reed) Cassidy.
John decided to become a Lutheran pastor while he was still in St. Paulus Lutheran School in San Francisco, California. He graduated from Concordia Senior College, Ft. Wayne, IN, with a BA in 1966. He attended the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and studied British history. He enrolled at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, MO, and then transferred to Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley, CA, where he received his Masters Of Divinity in 1970.
Ordained on August 29, 1971, he served St. Thomas, Gardena, CA, 1971-1974; Bethlehem, Canyon Country, CA, 1974-77; First of Culver City and Palms, Los Angeles, CA, 1978-81; Bethel, San Francisco, CA, 1991-2003. He served as an interim pastor in several locations, Concordia, Ingelwood, CA, 1978; Hope, Daly City, CA; St. Paul, Mt. View, CA; and Bethel, San Francisco, CA. He retired in 2003.
In 1967 he married Grace Evelyn Mahler. They were blessed with two children, Daniel in 1971, and Leah in 1974. Their marriage was dissolved. In 1986, he married Mary Frances Leeman and they were blessed with their son, Brett, in 1987. In 2001 Fran preceded him in death. In 2002 he was reacquainted with and married to Ann Louise DiLorenzo, and in 2005 they retired to Kihei, Maui where in 2009 she preceded him in death.
John had an active and quirky sense of humor, which is why he loved Limericks so much. He loved reading anything by Alistair MacLean among others, and listening to classical music, collecting stamps & coins, as well as enjoying playing golf immensely.
John ministered as a Pastor for almost 50 years. He will be greatly missed by many whose lives he touched, and there were many. In almost half a century of shepherding from 1968-2004, he officiated at least 303 baptisms, 209 marriages, and 486 funerals, and countless hospital visits and counselings. He was nothing, if not busy ministering to his flocks. People were his passion and he had great compassion for all he worked with.
John is survived by his two sons, Daniel Cassidy of Eugene, Oregon and Brett Cassidy of Kihei, Maui, and his daughter Leah Kong, and her husband, Mara Kong of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and his grandchildren, Naomi, Anna and Joshua Kong. Daniel and Leah's mother, Grace Cassidy of Eugene, Oregon. And his step-daughter Rebecca DiLorenzo of Salinas, California and her children, Madison, and Arianna.
A memorial service will be held at Hope Lutheran Church, Daly City, CA, March 5, 2 pm.
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