Patricia Cassell, 79

[broadstreet zone=”63788″]

[broadstreet zone=”66384″]

SJERBORN – Patricia Cassell, 79, a longtime Sherborn resident and active community volunteer, passed away on Thursday, November 18, 2021.

Born Patricia Carol Lace in Monticello, NY on February 26, 1942, she spent her early years in Lake George, NY where her family built and managed the Sequoia Motel.

She graduated from Lake George High School and went on to earn her BA in Mathematics from Rosary Hill College in 1965.

Following graduation, she worked as a computer systems engineer at Sylvania Electronic Systems, where she traveled extensively, performing mathematic calculations at US missile sites around the US. It was during her work at one of those sites, where she met her future husband, Douglas Cassell.

Pat and Doug were married in 1968, and later moved to the town of Sherborn, in 1971, where they would spend the rest of their lives together in the family home on Western Avenue.

Pat loved all things Sherborn, and if there was ever a cause or project in need of support, she was one of the first to lend a hand.

She was a Founder and Board Member for over 20 years at the Sherborn Community Center Foundation, which preserved and transformed the 1858 Town House historical building into a thriving local Community Center.

Pat also took a leadership role in the transformation of the old Center School into the Sherborn Town Offices and Police Station they are today.

Over the years she has served on many of Sherborn’s Municipal committees, including the Building, Storm Emergency, and Reuse committees. She served as President of the Sherborn Community School Association, and in recent years, became involved with the local Council on Aging, assisting with their Lifetime Learning programs.

Over the years Pat developed a love for photography, and one could always count on finding her at local events with her camera. Many regarded her as the unofficial photographer for the Town of Sherborn, as she would often photograph, catalog, and share pictures from local events.

She served as a freelance photographer for the Dover-Sherborn Suburban Press and for many years wrote a column for the Middlesex Daily News called the Sherborn Scene. Her interest in media and photography led her to later become a Program Director and Access Coordinator for the local Cable TV, where she continued her work in media, recording and broadcasting town events.

She was an active member and volunteer at St. Theresa Parish, organizing bi-annual events to raise funds like the Christmas Bazaar and Mardi Gras Auction.

She served on the Friends of Farm Pond Advisory Committee, and the Board of Directors for the Sherborn Yacht Club, where she enjoyed organizing activities and making trophies for the Club events.

A few years ago, after the passing of her husband Doug, Pat worked with the Town of Sherborn officials to build an overlook at Farm Pond. The project, funded by private donations, was intended to provide a handicap-accessible location to observe the beauty of Farm Pond and serve as a memorial to her late husband Doug, who also cared deeply about the preservation of Farm Pond and devoted countless hours to its conservation.

Patricia is survived by her children: Kim McGuire, with husband Robert, and Kevin Cassell, with wife Elizabeth, and her four grandchildren – Megan and Katelyn McGuire and Ryan and Chelsea Cassell. She is also survived by her sister, Carol Cirando and her husband John, of Syracuse, NY; her brother, Richard Lace and wife Cheryl, of Schenectady, NY; her brother Brian Lace of Warrensburg, NY; and her sister-in-law, Jean Cassell Karabelski and husband David, of Columbus, GA.

Funeral from the John Everett & Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street in Natick on Saturday December 4, 2021 at 9:15 a.m.

Funeral Mass to follow at St. Theresa Church, 35 S. Main St., Sherborn at 10:30 a.m.

Visiting hours in the funeral home are Friday December 3, 2021 from 4:00-8:00 PM. Interment at Pine Hill Cemetery, Sherborn.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Patricia’s memory may be made to the Friends of Farm Pond, ATTN: Cassell Memorial Fund, c/o Ron Jantzen 160 Maple Street Sherborn, MA 01770-1041.

[broadstreet zone=”66385″]