Stories about Bob
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From: Jackie
April 27, 1960, I met Bob Cassidy. My girlfriend Natalie and I were looking for a drink after a night class at Marquette University. We decided on Buddy Beeks, a piano bar on the east side of Milwaukee. When I saw him I thought, OMG, that’s Bob Cassidy! We both went to the same high school, he was a couple years ahead of me and I knew of him because of all the art contests he had won. He was also known for many art projects including musical and play program covers and stage scenery. I also knew him from a girlfriend Carole, whose brother Tom had been in art classes with him. We thought Tom was a much better artist than Bob! How critical we were when Bob came in first in art contests and Tom came in second. So to meet him eight years later, was a chance meeting. We talked for awhile, having Bay View High School and friends in common. When I was about to leave, he asked if we could go out on Saturday. Well, I didn’t want to seem too eager so I said I usually close my datebook on Wednesday, which this happened to be. I said if he would like to call before next Wednesday, I might be free on Saturday. Yes, I actually said that! Holding my breath, he did call on Tuesday. We went out on Saturday. Less than two months later we were engaged. I guess we connected! Ten months later, April 29, 1961, we were married. A chance meeting of ‘someone’ who turned out to be the love of my life!
From: Kevin Cassidy
Favorite uncle, favorite aunt. Yeah, the only ones I really knew, so emphasis on favorite. A good, good man. Many wonderful talks about art, life and family. Kaarin and I will miss him dearly.
Love Kevin
From: Louis Siy
One of my favorite times was walking from the Rochester Museum to the University Art Gallery on a warm summer afternoon. We would study the galleries together. It’s was a good place to share ideas. Bob loved art and especially loved the works of many American artists from the 19th century ( Hudson River School) and the early 20th century. He share many of his incites with me. I’ll never forget those afternoons.
From: Zach Abrams
One of my favorite memories of Bob is arguably also one of the simplest, Thanksgiving! Bob and I would be the pre-ordained living room Captains (as was family tradition). Joyfully slipping in and out of consciousness to drink beer (and/or whatever holiday themed cocktail Brian was whipping up that year) and watch/talk football. The conversations would always start in the modern sports era, but slowly and surely Bob would take myself, and anyone else within ear-shot down a historical rabbit hole of sports trivia. 70's, 60's, 50's, no decade went undiscussed! Whenever Bob threw out a name I actually knew, I couldn't help but feel a certain triumphant feeling "sometime I know things!". Bob and my Dad would go back and forth, names, stats, the socio-economic impact of world events during the time period (structure was a non-essential piece to piece to these conversations). I was always so impressed with the endless amount of knowledge Bob had, especially when he'd catch you off guard with one of his information tidbits, that came directly out of left-field!
Most importantly, as I think back on these memories, the love, happiness and comfort that was always present just by virtue of us being together as a family is something I will never forget. I feel very lucky that I can look back at over a decade of memories with Bob & Jackie and the rest of the Cassidy crew, to remember him and his amazing legacy.
We miss and love you Bob. I know, come Thanksgiving you will come down and have a drink (or 7) with us in your honor!
From: Barbara Shannon (neighbor)
My family was part of the "Gauer Circle Clan". We met Bob and Jackie {over 50 plus years} ago as neighbors and soon became snow shovelers, party planners, friends and family.
- Jack, Barbara, Jeff, Jennifer, Jon and Jacob.
Here are our memories:
Bob and Jack caught playing a game at Gauer Circle Clan get together.
Jon was sworn into the Navy, at a Brewer game. We had a caravan going into Miller Park. Joe bumped into Bob and Jackies car. No damage, but Bob laughed and teased Joe every time he saw him.
- Jennifer and Joe
Bob will be fondly remembered. I had the pleasure to visit with him in Maryland a couple years ago. We shared donuts while watching Blake play soccer.
- Courtney
The get togethers with Bob and Jackie were always enjoyable. We would indulge in a couple of beers while shooting the bull.
- Jeff
Bob created a Hawaiian poster, where we enjoyed posing, in the head cut outs.
- Barbara
For the drawings… “Bob was always someone who took great interest in our family and this was especially true during a visit with us when we moved to Southern Maryland. After moving into our new house, my parents and Bob and Jackie paid us a visit in which Brooklyn and Bob started drawing about the upcoming Halloween holiday. The pictures I sent were the very pictures Brooklyn and Bob spent time drawing together. The whole time Bob encouraged Brooklyn to draw what she envisioned and drew examples for her to emulate. Bob’s patience and care are a hallmark of what he was as a man and a father figure to any family he came in contact with.”
Jackie is my godmother, and Bob was my bonus.
- Jon
Jon was on leave. Bob and Jackie thought we should take in a Brewer game. We tailgated, of course.
- Jacob
Richard and my most cherished wedding present. "A ROBERT CASSIDY PAINTING".
- Barbara
From: Natalie Healy
I have known Bob since 1960. We spent a lot of time together when he and Jackie lived on Gauer Circle in Milwaukee. A lot of history was made in those years to come.
From Rochester (Brighton), New York to Dousman, Wisconsin to Annapolis, MD.
I was honored to see the special exhibit Bob designed at the Rochester Museum and Science Center where Bob worked for a number of years. Such a wonderful talent. That was the year Dan and I visited Bob, Jackie, Eileen and Brian and spent Thanksgiving along with their dog Charlie. (My Dan renamed Charlie, Charles of Brighton.)
When Bob and Jackie moved to Annapolis, MD, I was delighted when they invited us to come and visit. All those wonderful museums in Washington, DC, Smithsonian, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, etc. Bob introduced me to his favorite artists--Rembrandt, Gauguin and Turner. He taught me to appreciate their talents and I learned so much from him.
My last trip to Annapolis, a couple of years ago, Bob and Jackie took me to the Harriet Tubman Museum in Church Creek, MD. She was a wonderful woman who freed the slaves through the Underground Railroad. Thank you Bob and Jackie for introducing me to her.
Thank you, Bob, for all you taught me over the years. After this Pandemic is over. I will visit our local museum here in Flat Rock, MI and check out the displays and think, "is this how Bob would have done it?" In honor of Bob, I will also leave a donation in his name to show my appreciation for all the volunteering they do.
Bob, I have been honored to have been able to call you my friend all these 60 years. I love you so much.
Love,
Nat
From: Rick jr. Cassidy
During any visit or Cassidy reunion, Uncle Bob would pull me to the side and ask me all about my artwork. He always wanted to see my newest creations and was very complimentary of my work. Although our styles were very different, he was someone who inspired me with his enormously talented art. He was gifted and used it throughout his life as his career. I enjoyed our chats and will most definitely miss them the next time the family gets together.
He also had great taste in beer! A true Irishman until the end! Cheers! You will be missed!
Now go paint something cool on one of those clouds and we'll talk about it when I get up there!
Love Rick (RJ)
From: Ed Hufsmith
Wonderful memories. I always had questions, he always had answers. If I stumped him, I believe books and encyclopedias were involved.
From: Maddie Cassidy and Carmen Rivera (granddaughters)
Not so long ago, last year, on his birthday, we were over at the house, and we were on face time with the Cassidy Crew. Then, I put a scrunchie (a soft hair tie), on Grandpa's (Bob's) few hairs. It was so funny because it was a brown color, plus you didn't see his hair so it looked like a POOP! Then the whole family saw it, and started cracking up because it looked like a POOP! We were laughing forever. I bet Grandpa felt a little embarrassed, and did not know what was going on, but it was hilarious!!
From: Suzanne Collins
Matt Flynn: Your story beautifully describes the Bob Cassidy I knew, a man with a wonderful imagination, a huge talent, and a kind heart. We will all miss him so much.
From: Matt Flynn
My Uncle Bob stories are many... From the wonderfully endless family events to the long discussions of baseball and art and kids and work over cold beer... He very graciously did two paintings for us that we love: the Cliffs of Moher and the Miracle at Cana
- I've looked at them everyday for years... But perhaps my favorite memory of Uncle Bob was when the entire D'Amour clan stopped in Milwaukee on our way to the UP in Michigan... My wife Michelle and I had two young kids at the time (4 and 2), and was pregnant with our third. Our hosts, Aunt Wacky (as we affectionately call her) and Uncle Bob, went above and beyond to make our visit memorable... I remember Uncle Bob drawing a map of their property (with amazing detail and accuracy) and hiding treasure in certain spots for my boys to find... Being pirates for a day and looking for where "X marks the spot" was generous and selfless and wonderful... Which is how I would describe Uncle Bob AND Aunt Jackie... And we held on to that map for safe keeping... We're looking forward to seeing the Cassidys again soon, but until then, be assured of our bear hugs, happy hour toasts, and loving prayers... Rest in peace my friend.
From: Ron Imbach
There were many funny and memorable stories, but one always stands out to me and puts a smile on my face. It was 1992 on a trip to Colorado. Everyone wanted to go white water rafting on the Snake River, a pretty wild river that covers many states in the west.
Bob was the only one who really didn't seem to want to go At the time, his wife, Jackie, his son, Brian, daughter, Eileen, and I were game and eager to go. After some arm twisting, Bob agreed to go. It was a fun and wild ride, until we hit a huge rapid that bent the raft right in the middle at what felt like a 30 degree angle. We came out laughing, because it was scary but fun. However, there was a problem. Bob was gone! He had gone out on the rapid. Fortunately, we located him pretty quickly. It took a few minutes of the guide using an oar and Bob bouncing around some rocks, but we got him back in the raft. That was a close one, bit it figures that of the 5 of us, Bob, the one who least wanted to go, was the only one to go out of the raft.
R.I.P. Bob and hope they have beer in heaven and hope you're having a few!
From: Jonathan Remus (neighbor)
I always thought of Bob as a positive role model and an angel figure in his guidance and positive direction in our many conversations. He always provided guidance and displayed an interest in someone who he met on too few of occasions. I know Jackie probably drug him along but once I joined the Navy, we developed the veteran bond that only a selected few know of and understand. Bob ALWAYS took a great interest in what I did and the details behind them. The interest he spent in our conversations was special as he seemed to want to live the experience with me and not just listen to my story.
As far as Bob’s interaction with my family, Bob was someone who was very warm and embraced whoever he came in contact with. Bob treated Joy, Brooklyn, and Blake with such care and concern. Obviously, Bob met Joy shortly after we married but his interaction with Joy made her feel welcome and appreciated each and every time. After we moved to Southern Maryland, we had a couple occasions in which we got together. The first was when we first moved here and had time to spend with Bob and Jackie along with my parents but it did not stop there. The last time we had time to spend with each other came when Blake was playing his Championship Soccer game. While Bob wasn’t as spry as he used to be, Bob and Jackie made time to come and watch Blake’s game, with snacks even? Who do you know shows up to a soccer game with a gallon of apple cider? It seemed a little planned 😀 but their presence made it feel like a priceless family experience! The time Bob and Jackie made for me and my family is something I can only wish to live up to. Bob and Jackie are nothing short of two loving and caring people who sacrifice everything for their families. Bob will be missed sorely. We all love and miss you Bob! God Bless you and I hope you have a drink on me my great friend! Cheers!