Jane Catherine Lydon Cassidy
Jane Catherine Lydon Cassidy, 91, of Ridgefield, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on March 31, 2015. Jane is survived by her children, Sheila Upjohn of Salem, Oregon, her husband Donald, Mimi Cassidy of South Salem, New York, her husband Joseph Sacco, and Sean Cassidy of Fredericksburg, Virginia, his wife Karin, her five grandchildren, Sarah, Luke, Anna, Rosie, and Jacques, and her many friends. Her former husband, Jacques Cassidy, passed away in August, 2014, and her daughter, Jacqueline Cassidy, in 1991.
Jane, a leader of her community of elders at Prospect Ridge in Ridgefield, Connecticut, was known and loved by all. A former caregiver, always eager to help, Jane assisted anyone in need, doing everything from personal care to shopping and other household tasks. An advocate for her community, she rallied her fellow seniors and effectively petitioned for change at Prospect Ridge. Passionate about politics and current events, she kept abreast of world, national, and local news. An avid gardener, pet owner, gifted pianist, and former resident of Salem, Oregon for many years, Jane maintained ongoing relationships with the many people she had known and touched in her life.
A veteran of the United States Army from November 1944 until honorable discharge in July 1947, Jane saw active duty during World War II, where she was stationed in Nanking (now Najing), China, as a clerk typist and telephone switchboard operator, handling confidential calls for an army advisory group and assistant chief in charge of 40 government employees. During her service, she participated in meetings with President and Madame Chiang Kai-Shek. Returning to the United States in 1945, she survived a typhoon in the western Pacific that damaged numerous US ships. For her distinguished military service, she was awarded the American Defense Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
Jane will be greatly missed by her family and many friends.