Lifetime Warwick, NY, resident Theresa “Tess” Cassanite, passed away on June 29, 2025, at the age of 101.
The momentous milestone of Tess’ 100th birthday was celebrated in January of 2024 where Tess was honored with official proclamations from the Mayor and Town Supervisor for the big day.
Theresa was born on December 29, 1923, at the Warwick General Hospital in the Servin Mansion on Forester Avenue. As a child, she attended Warwick schools and graduated in 1942. Soon after, she met Chester resident Frank A. Cassanite and the two were married in October 1947. They lived together at their home on Fairview Avenue until the couple purchased their forever home at 19 Crescent Avenue in 1958. They spent 50 years in that home, raising two kids, Frank Jr. and Connie, until Frank senior’s passing in 2008. Theresa recently resided in Devon Woods.
When her kids were old enough to go to school, Theresa found work in the Park Avenue School cafeteria, where she eventually became manager. She worked there for 30 before retiring at 65. Upon her retirement, Theresa joined the Warwick Valley Seniors Club and remains a member. She is also a parishioner of St. Stephens Catholic Church, has been a member of the Catholic Daughters of America and the VFW Post 4662 Auxiliary for over 70 years, and has helped manage voting polls in Warwick for over 30 years.
A family statement reads, “Mom’s knowledge of the people and town of Warwick was truly amazing. If there is any piece of history you wanted to know about Warwick, whether it has to do with people, places or events, you could ask Tess. She could recall the names of many past and present residents of the town along with who they married, how many kids they had and, in some cases, when they passed on! In addition to frequenting many of the area’s local restaurants for either breakfast or lunch, she enjoyed spending time with her family and neighbors. She was a true part of Warwick history.”
Theresa is survived by her son Frank Cassanite, Jr. and his wife Donna of Warwick; daughter Connie Kaden and her husband Bob of Rehoboth Beach, DE; five grandchildren: Melissa Fogelman(Porter), Keith Burns(Erin), Heidi Hoppe(Mark), Stacy Bobrzynski(Jeremy), and Lindsay Cassanite(Kevin Sanders); and seven great-grandchildren: Lilly, Aidan, Caitlyn, Gavin, Jacob, Brody, and Jackson; as well as several nieces and nephews. Tess will also be missed by her dear friends Kathy Barker, Mary Singer and Barbara Gustainis.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, July 10th from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Lazear-Smith & Vander Plaat Memorial Home, 17 Oakland Avenue, Warwick. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, July 11th at St. Stephen RC Church, 75 Sanfordville Road, Warwick, followed by interment in Warwick Cemetery beside her beloved husband of 60 years, Frank. Livestream link to view the Mass at the scheduled time: https://ststephenchurchwarwick.org/livestreams
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Stephen RC Church, 75 Sanfordville Road, Warwick or Warwick Volunteer Ambulance Corps, P.O. Box 315, Warwick NY 10990.