Elizabeth J. Cassidy

Mrs. Elizabeth (“Betty/Liz”) Jane Cassidy (née Eakley) died on August 28, 2025 in Altamonte Springs at the age of 94 from a sudden onset of pneumonia. She was born on August 14th, 1931 in Manistique, Michigan, a city on the northern shore of Lake Michigan in the middle of Michigan’s northern peninsula. She was born to Louis and Idelia Eakley, the youngest of five siblings. After the death of her father when she was 12 and the remarriage of her mother to Jack Cribley, the family relocated to Greely, Colorado, where Elizabeth (Betty) spent her teenage years. After graduating, she worked as a switchboard operator and secretary at the “A-bomb” plant outside of Denver. Later, she returned to Michigan, the state she had missed, and worked in Holland, Michigan doing secretarial work, the frequent guest of a family friend from childhood in the Upper Peninsula and the sister of the man she would marry, John Cassidy, who worked at Norge Refrigeration. Betty had grown up as a family friend of the Cassidys of Gould City, but had never met John, who was 7 years older and always seemed to be away working when she visited. Nonetheless, she had been told more than once that she was the “girl for John” even though they had never met and never would meet until decades later in the Lower Peninsula. John and Betty married at St. Francis De Sales Catholic Church in Holland, Michigan, after a short courtship that--oddly enough--began with her standing him up for a date. They would go on to raise three boys and two girls. Betty’s faith played a central role in her life. She was raised as a Protestant but the solemn and reverent atmosphere of the Catholic mass seemed to fit with her better than what she felt was the emotional appeal of Protestant preachers she had seen. She brought up her children to seek standing on faith and not just what other kids were doing and to take faith very seriously. She provided a Children' s Bible and reference material to her children that they may grow in understanding of and devotion to God. And to this day, this is something that her children appreciate about her, and will miss, the most. God rest her soul. She is preceded in death by all her parents Louis Eakley and Idelia Cribley, her husband John C. Cassidy, and all her siblings Eileen Wear, Acel Eakley, Rita Goldsmith, and Richard Eakley, her first daughter Maureen, who lived only one day, son Major Paul Cassidy, who died in Iraq, and her great-granddaughter Lilly Schneider, who lived 48 hours. She is survived by her sons: Michael J. Cassidy of Las Vegas, Nevada, John J. Cassidy (wife Kym) of Grandville, Michigan, daughters: Patricia Cassidy Tykowski (husband Joe) of Oviedo, Florida, Corrine J. Schneider (husband Tim) of Lansing, Michigan. Also her grandson Zach Cassidy (from John), her granddaughter Hope Cassidy, her grandson Chris Tykowski, her grandson Benjamin Schneider, grandson Luke Schneider (wife Elly) and granddaughter Lindsay Schneider, and grandson Colin Cassidy (from Paul and wife Susan). Mass will be celebrated September 9th at 11:00 AM at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church 861 Maitland Avenue, Altamonte Springs, FL. There will be a small internment ceremony at Glen Haven Memorial Park, 2300 Temple Drive, Winter Park, FL. And a luncheon afterward.

Elizabeth J. Cassidy

August 14, 1931 - August 28, 2025