Obituary of Kevin Joseph Cassidy

Kevin Joseph Cassidy of Darien, Connecticut went peacefully home to God surrounded by his loving family on Wednesday morning, May 10, after a long and bravely fought battle with lung cancer. Kevin was the devoted husband of Jacqueline Sinon Cassidy for twenty-five years and the loving father of his sons Kevin, Michael, and Brendan, and beloved daughter, Colleen. Born on October 1, 1956, to Eleanor and Joseph Cassidy in Red Bank, New Jersey, Kevin grew up on the Jersey Shore with his two brothers Padraic and Brendan and his sister Kathleen. It was there that he developed his love of family, his great capacity for friendship, and his love of the ocean. While he was in high school, he moved with his family to Chevy Chase, Maryland, and he graduated from Good Counsel High School in Wheaton, Maryland. Kevin graduated from Boston College where he was an Economics major and an avid Rugby player. His love for the Heights and his BC brother and sister Eagles was lifelong. He was an alumnus of Fordham Law School, where he was a member of the Law Review, and he was admitted to the New York and California Bar Associations. He practiced law at White & Case's New York and Stockholm offices and at Skadden, Arps, Meagher & Flom, first in New York and later in Los Angeles. Most recently, he served as General Counsel and Executive Vice President at Rafferty Holdings, LLC. Kevin and his wife Jackie enjoyed beautiful years in Los Angeles, Sydney, and Hong Kong. When his career bought him back to New York, they settled on Birch Road in Darien. It was here they celebrated the births of their children, and Kevin took great pride in the town he loved so well, Darien! Kevin was a devoted, endlessly supportive neighborhood dad and relished the joys of fatherhood. When his children were young, Kevin never tired of lacing up their hockey skates. The Darien Ice Rink became his favorite destination. Learning and loving the game himself, he excitedly stood at the glass taking in games and working the clock. He loved the Darien Youth Hockey Program and served on the board of the Darien Youth Hockey Organization for five years. In addition, Kevin was also an enthusiastic supporter of Darien Little League a dedicated baseball coach to his sons and other boys in the program, and he later helped coach Colleen and other little girls in softball. A former Boy Scout, Kevin guided his sons in Scouting, serving as an Assistant Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 53 in Darien. He loved canoe trips, ski trips, and camping trips, especially the famous annual Klondike Camp Out in the snow. He devoted many hours as the Sporting Goods Chair for the annual Boy Scout Tag Sale and glowed with pride when troop members including his sons Michael and Brendan became Eagle Scouts. Kevin was a member of Saint Thomas More Parish. He was a man of deep faith and a beautiful example to his children. He and his family spent unforgettable summers on Shelter Island, New York. No one who got in the boat while Kevin was at the helm didn't learn to water ski! Those summers golfing with his children at Gardiner's Bay Country Club and taking endless swims in West Neck Bay were some of the best times of his life. Whether he was heading off with his kids early on a Saturday morning for a day-trip to the ski slopes or teeing off when the sun came up at the Country Club of Darien, Kevin loved his life and lived it to the fullest with enthusiasm, a generous heart, a sense of humor, and uncompromising integrity. Kevin took great pride in the town of Darien, knowing this community as home. To him the great people of Darien were not just friends they were family. Kevin is survived by his beloved wife Jacqueline, his sons Kevin, Michael, and Brendan, and his daughter Colleen. He is also survived by his brother Brendan Cassidy of College Park, Maryland and his sister Kathleen Cassidy of Longmont, Colorado. His brother Padraic passed away in 2009. The family will receive friends at the Edward Lawrence Funeral Home, 2119 Post Road, Darien on Tuesday, May 16, from 4:00 pm until 8:00 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Saint Thomas More Church, 374 Middlesex Road, Darien on Wednesday, May 17, at 10:30 am. Kevin will be buried at the Cemetery of Our Lady of the Isle, Shelter Island, NY, after a family service on Thursday morning. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Andrew Shaw Memorial Trust (an organization that supports Darien Boy Scouts) PO Box 2315, Darien, CT 06820 or to the Darien EMS-Post 53, PO Box 2066, Darien, CT 06820. Funeral Home: Edward Lawrence Funeral Home 2119 Post Road Darien, CT USA 06820