Juanita Cassidy

With Norman, her husband of 63 years, by her side, Juanita “Nita” Carol Cassidy, 88, formerly of Sycamore, passed away peacefully on Jan. 18, 2026.
She was born in Warren on Sept. 11, 1937, to Elizabeth and Ira Peck. She had recently resided in Michigan to be closer to her daughters and grandchildren, while this continued to be a bone of contention, being the die-hard Ohio State Buckeye fan she was.
She worked at AO Smith in Upper Sandusky for 25 years and retired on May 2, 2000, allowing her to do what she truly loved: work with children. Babysitting in her home made her the happiest and most fulfilled. She adored spending time guiding and supporting children in any positive way possible. She dedicated her life to the Mohawk Schools and students, working ticket gates, concession stands and bookkeeping for boys and girls basketball for 30 years. She was inducted into the Mohawk Hall of Fame in 2006. She treasured her Sycamore United Church of Christ family in which she was a member of the Small Church Cluster Council, NW OH Association. She manned the gates of the Wyandot County Fair and assisted with the church’s nursery, Logos and food pantry programs. She was extremely proud of her Sycamore community and bragged to everyone in Michigan about her wonderful small town in Ohio and how lucky she was to live there. She enjoyed working on the Lions’ calendar and 60+ celebration luncheons.
Nita was a mother/grandma figure for many individuals throughout the years and she was honored to be a part of their lives. Many of those special relationships continued until her death and meant the world to her. She never met a stranger and could pick up a conversation with anyone, anywhere. She had a sense of humor and quick wit that kept everyone laughing. She never sought the spotlight and was forever a humble human being.
She was a beloved grammy. She especially loved being with her grandchildren in Ohio, Michigan or South Carolina. The number of miles put on her vehicle proved her commitment to her grandchildren and family. She would travel on a minute’s notice, hundreds of miles, to watch them in their activities. Her goal was to form bonds despite the miles between them. She wanted them to know that they were top priority and that is what she accomplished.
At the time of her passing she was survived by her loving and devoted husband, Norman. She is also survived by her daughters, Michelle (Patrick) Kotwicki, Sterling Heights, Mich.; Rebecca Winter, Livonia, Mich.; daughter-in-law, Jennie Cassidy, Myrtle Beach, S.C. (son Garrett Michael Cassidy preceded her in death in 2013); grandchildren, Hanna Mitchell (Collin), Ethan (Brianna) Mitchell, Jordan Winter (Kolby) and Seth Winter (Madison), all of Michigan; Bryen Cassidy and Brittney Cassidy of South Carolina; Noel (Josh) Godwin and great-grandchildren, Jackson and Cassidy Godwin, all of Pennsylvania; many nieces, nephews, grand and great-grands that she loved like her own kids.
Juanita was preceded in death by her two siblings, Mardelle Games and Harlan Peck.
A celebration of life was held in April at Sycamore United Church of Christ in Sycamore. To honor Juanita’s love of children, consider a donation to Sycamore UCC in support of Logos, after-school program at Sycamore UCC, P.O. Box 347, Sycamore, OH 44882.