Jacqueline Cassity

Jacqueline “Jacquie” Cassity, 70, a resident of Pickerel Lake, Richville, Minnesota, died Sunday, July 11, 2010, at her home under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley and her family. Jacqueline Maude Stretton was born January 12, 1940, in Nelson, British Columbia, Canada, to Thomas Nevard and Margaret “Daisy” Riddet (Wylie) Stretton. The family moved to High River, Alberta and then to Vancouver, B.C. when she was young. Jacquie devoted much of her time to her lifelong school “chums” at Gladstone and Burnaby South High Schools and to figure skating. On July 12, 1958, she married Ronald Alexander McFarlane and they established their family in Burnaby, B.C. They had three children: Ronald James, Kelly Margaret, and Debby Jacqueline. In 1963 the marriage ended and Jacquie raised their three children with the love and support of her family and friends. Jacquie worked for the Great Northern Railroad in Vancouver and was transferred to St. Paul, MN, in 1972 to work for the Burlington Northern Railroad. During her tenure with the BN, she was transferred to Minneapolis, MN, Denver, CO, and Fort Worth, TX. On April 11, 1981, she married co-worker Richard Eugene Cassity. Rich adopted Jacquie’s three children in 1987. In 1994, both retired, Jacquie and Rich moved to Pickerel Lake in Richville, MN, so that they could be closer to their “American” grandchildren, Brennan Patrick, Hunter Richard, and Jacqueline Kristine Haarstad. They also spent time at their second home in Vancouver, B.C., enjoying time with their “Canadian” grandchild, Chelsea Jacqueline McFarlane. Jacquie took great pride in all of her grandchildren. Jacquie’s lifelong passion was in the world of figure skating. She was a judge from 1956 until her passing. She was an international figure skating judge and judged for the Canadian Figure Skating Association and the United States Figure Skating Association. She was a long time member of the St. Paul Figure Skating Club. She received her 25 year judging pin from the Canadian Figure Skating Association and recently received her 25 year pin from the United States Figure Skating Association. She traveled extensively during her time here on earth judging figure skating. Before her illness, Jacquie had been planning to attend the winter Olympics in her hometown of Vancouver, B.C. After her September 2009 diagnosis of stage IV lung cancer, she was still determined to get to Vancouver to realize her dream of being there for the Olympics, and she did. She had the time of her life, thanks to many friends who helped make her dream a reality. Jacquie was preceded in death by her parents, Margaret “Daisy” (12/26/1981) and Thomas Stretton (3/1977). She is survived by her husband, Richard Eugene Cassity, and their children, Ronald McFarlane, Kelly (Larry) Buttler, and Debby (Fred) Haarstad; her sister, Lorna Nevard (Alan) Bingham; four grandchildren: Brennan Patrick, Hunter Richard, and Jacqueline Kristine Haarstad, and Chelsea Jacqueline McFarlane; three step-grandchildren, Joshua, Matthew, and Rachael Buttler; and four step-great-grandchildren, Autumn, Noah, Isabella and Madelynne Buttler. She is also survived by too many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews to count. Through the years, Jacquie has been the loving and caring matriarch of a small, close-knit appreciative family, who will all miss her honest and compassionate heart. When asked to sum up her life in three short words – a challenge for a woman who was never short on words – Jacquie shared that her life was “much too short.” That is a feeling that her friends and family echo. Jacquie’s family wants to thank the many friends scattered nationally and internationally, physicians and staff at the Mayo Clinic, Roger Maris Cancer Center in Fargo, ND, especially Dr. Panwalkar who she trusted implicitly with her care. A celebration of Jacquie’s life will be held August 1st from 1-3 pm at the Hilton Minneapolis/St Paul Airport, 3800 American Blvd E, Bloomington, MN 55425 as well as Vancouver, B.C., date TBD.  Memorials preferred to Courage Center, 3915 Golden Valley Rd., GV, MN 55422 or Minnesota Skating Scholarship c/o Herb Morgenthaler, 3851 Beard Ave S, Mpls, MN 55410.  For celebration details or to leave words of sympathy or remembrance go to www.caringbridge.org/visit/jacquiecassity/journal .   Arrangements provided by the Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls.