Shirley Chambers Cassidy
Services celebrating the life of Shirley Chambers Cassidy, 88, will be held on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Jennings with Fr. Charles McMillin, Fr. Marshall Boulet, Fr. Whitney Miller, Fr. Mickal Polson with Deacon Andrew Schumacher and Monsignor Ronald Groth officiating.
Mrs. Cassidy departed this life peacefully on Sunday October 8, 2017 at Southwind Assisted Living Center. A gathering of family and friends was held on Tuesday October 10 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. with a rosary recited at 6 p.m. at Matthews and Son Funeral Home with funeral mass on Wednesday, October 11 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Jennings, with interment immediately following at Calvary Cemetery.
Shirley was the eldest of three children born to Noble Moore Chambers and Anna Andrus Chambers on January 2, 1929. Shirley grew up in Crowley where she graduated from Crowley High School as valedictorian in 1945, at age 16. In 1949 she graduated from SLI (now ULL) with a BS degree in vocal music. She taught for several years in Church Point, Crowley, Jennings and Washington until she met and married the love of her life, Edward Thomas II “Tom” Cassidy, Jr. and married on October 25, 1952. Their marriage was blessed with seven children and spanned 56 years before Tom’s death in 2008.
Besides being quite busy raising six sons and a daughter, Shirley belonged to many civic and social groups including Little Theater both in Crowley and Jennings, founder of the Thursday Coffee Club in 1955 which is still active, member of Entre Nous, DAR, Revelers, Pokeno Groups, life time member of Jeff Davis Arts Council, patron of Friends of Museum and other organizations throughout her lifetime too numerous to name.
Shirley will be forever remembered as one of the most beautiful voices that reverberated in our OLHC church whether as soloist, choir member or cantor; she led our congregation for decades. She sang for weddings, funerals, wakes, retreats, renewals and other social engagements throughout the area, but predominantly through Our Lady Help of Christians. Her voice was unforgettable.
She was involved in every aspect of church work including RCIA, renewal programs, teaching Catechism, Helping Hands, Catholic Daughters and Altar Society. Shirley was the first woman Real Estate Broker in Jeff Davis Parish. Her honors include being named Lady Commander in the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher. She was also honored by the City of Jennings as one of it’s Living Legends in 2004.
Her crowning achievement was always the pride she took in her husband and children and being wife and mother.
Shirley is preceded in death by her parents Noble Moore Chambers, Sr. and Anna Andrus Chambers, her sister Charlotte Chambers Mayeux, her son Kevin. Christopher Cassidy and her husband of 56 years, Edward Thomas “Tom” Cassidy, Jr.
She is survived by her brother Noble Moore Chambers, Jr. (Bobbie), and five sons, namely, Edward Thomas Cassidy, III (Mari), Timothy Michael Cassidy, Sr., (Debbie), Kenneth Patrick Cassidy, (Julie), David Christian Cassidy, Patrick Quintin Cassidy (Donna) and one daughter, Connie Cassidy Anzalone (Dr. Charles). She is further survived by 13 grandsons and 10 granddaughters along with 32 great grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be her five surviving sons, Ted, Tim, Kenny, Christian and Patrick Cassidy and her son in law, Dr. Charles Anzalone. Honorary pallbearers will be her grandsons.
Special thanks to all her caregivers and healthcare providers, who gave such loving care to Shirley, in her time of need.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to OLI Library or any catholic school of your choice or to Mr. and Mrs. Edward Thomas Cassidy Seminary Burse, Diocese of Lake Charles, c/o Reverend Msgr. Daniel Torres, P. O. Box 323, Lake Charles, La.