Dr. Walter J. Cassidy Jr.

PACIFICA—With heavy hearts, we share that Dr. Walter J. Cassidy, Jr.—husband, father, stepfather, grandpa, Poppa, brother, and friend—passed away peacefully on December 14, 2021, at the tender age of 91. Now reunited with his wife, Lee, Walter is also predeceased by brother Tom Cassidy, sister-in-law Alice Cassidy, son-in-law David Anderson, grandson Alex Walther, and his parents. Walter was born in Holyoke, Massachusetts, on June 22, 1930, to Irish parents Walter, Sr., and Catherine Cassidy. The oldest of six children, Walter had a nose for mischief and an intellect that would take him far. He graduated premed from Xavier University and received his MD from the University of Cincinnati in 1955. Walter met his first wife, Patricia “Pat” Kerr, during his residency in Flint, Michigan, and the two married in 1957. They had four children and moved their brood to California, first in Carlsbad and later in the Bay Area.

Walter joined the U.S. Navy as a doctor and rose through the ranks, serving 27 years and retiring as Captain. During his Navy stretch, he was stationed at Balboa Naval Hospital/San Diego for his internal medicine residency and later for a fellowship in pulmonary medicine; at Great Lakes Naval Hospital/North Chicago in internal medicine; at Camp Pendleton Hospital as Chief of Medicine (where he once treated President Lyndon Johnson); and finally at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital/ Oakland as Chief of Pulmonary Service.

Following his military career, Walter spent 12 years as executive physician at Kaiser Aluminum’s corporate offices in Oakland. While at Kaiser, Walter met Leonie “Lee” Allen. They married in 1982, called Pacifica home, and enjoyed many happy years traveling and sharing lots of their favorite steak dinners together until Lee’s death in 2008.

Walter loved music. He played the piano from a young age and sang beautiful baritone in the choir at Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church in South San Francisco, where he and Lee were parishioners. He was passionate about cartoon voice talents like

Mel Blanc, Daws Butler, Alan Reed, Don Messick and Paul Frees, and enjoyed golfing (though he was known to share a few @$#!!#$’s on the course), playing cribbage and reading, especially American and world history. He loved baseball and was a fan of all Bay Area pro sports teams. Thoughtful and generous, Walter had a quick wit, a great laugh and bright blue Irish eyes that could light up a room. When he passed, he was just shy of 40 years’ sobriety, an achievement of which he was most proud.

Walter is survived by his children: Catherine (Steve Boylan) Cassidy, Janet (John) Venturino, Jim (Darcy) Cassidy, Mary Cassidy Anderson; his stepchildren: Laurel Thomas (Vincent), Gail Allen, Meredith (Ben) Walker; his grandchildren: Taylor Allen, Jess (Marc Stroobants) Walther, Jackie Walther, Dominic (Kimberly) Venturino, Madeline (Eric) McCosker, Nick Cassidy, Sienna Tenney, Patrick and Spencer Anderson, Dana Thomas, Ashley Moore (Kenny); his siblings: Eileen Cassidy, Louise (John) Dorenbusch, Henry Cassidy, Anne DeLaup; his first wife, Pat Cassidy; and his great granddaughter, Ada Venturino. He is further survived by nieces, nephews, and friends.

Special thanks to Taylor for his compassionate care of “Poppa” from the time he became a widower to his final moments.

Soon a Memorial Service with military tribute will be held at Unity Lutheran Church at 609 Southwood Drive, South San Francisco, with a family reception, immediately following. Due to COVID 19 masks will be required to be worn during the memorial service. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.