Warwick resident Theresa Cassanite turns 100

Theresa Cassanite celebrated quite an achievement last Friday — her 100th birthday, and 100th year as a Warwick resident. This momentous milestone was marked by many family, friends, and community members at the Engine 3 Fire Station in Warwick.

According to daughter Connie Kaden, roughly 75 people attended the celebration, including former Warwick Supervisor Michael Sweeton and Warwick Mayor Michael Newhard, who both presented Theresa with official proclamations honoring the big day.

In honor of her mother’s birthday, Kaden shared a bit about Theresa’s long-running ties to the area. She 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 from the high school in 1942. Soon after, she met Chester resident Frank 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 now resides at 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.

Connie said of her mother, “Her knowledge of the people and town of Warwick is truly amazing. If there is any piece of history you want to know about Warwick, whether it has to do with people, places or events, you can ask Tess. She can 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 enjoys spending time with her family and neighbors. She is a true part of Warwick history, and present!