Cathy Jo Cassidy, 66, passed away on November 3 in Ventura, Calif. after a short illness. Daughter of Martin and Jo Cassidy, Cathy Jo was a world traveller and adventurous soul, loving wife and mother, a great cook and a wizard with a varnish brush. Born in Texas, she lived on the East Coast, Libya, Switzerland, Hong Kong and the Midwest before settling in California with her husband and partner for 44 years, Don Chesnut. They traveled extensively together to East Asia, the Pacific and Europe, as well as camping all over the Western US from the Saguaro National Monument to Glacier National Park and up to the Western Canada glaciers. The last 15 years they spent their summers on their canal barge, roaming the canals and rivers of France, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The boating community knew her for her great attention to detail and hard work as she took care of her many clients precious possessions for over 35 years.
Cathy Jo is survived by her husband Don and son Cory (his wife Darwin and their daughter Audrey), as well as her father Martin, brother Brandt and sister Caroline. She was preceded in death by her mother, Jo.
A celebratory gathering will be held at her former home in downtown Ventura in the future.
Cremation arrangements are under the direction of the Joseph P. Reardon Funeral Home and Cremation Service in downtown Ventura.