Cassandra Kloumann

Cassandra (Cassy) Kloumann, age 75, of Orleans, Massachusetts, died peacefully at home after a three-month battle with pancreatic cancer on October 8, 2022. Cassy was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Thomas Kemp Maples and Cedetta Miles Maples. She held sway as the eldest sister of four rambunctious younger brothers, Jim, Tom, Tim, and Jon. She attended Wellesley High (1965), where she was captain of the cheerleading team and an avid figure skater. She was voted “Most Versatile” by her graduating class in the yearbook. She did her undergrad and graduate work at Denver University. Cassy earned her second master’s degree from Bridgewater State, ΦBK, Phi Theta Kappa.

Cassandra began her career in education in the Cherry Creek School District, Arapahoe County, Colorado, at Sagebrush Elementary. She was a dynamic and exciting physical education teacher. Her passion for movement extended beyond the classroom in a varied range of activities; including jogging, tennis, tap dancing, tai chi, sailing, long distance cycling (1995-1997 Pan-Mass and a multi-day cycling trip around Nova Scotia), long-long-long walks (causing at least one daughter to groan when chivvied to step up), pond swims, and skiing (downhill and Nordic).

She became nationally certified to teach and continued her education career on the Cape in 1983 as a middle school generalist in the Chatham Public School System, Chatham, Massachusetts. She was interested in environmental conservation and was honored by Cape Light Compact for her outstanding energy education program and community outreach in 2009. Cassy was included in “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” (2005-06), an honor accorded the top 5 percent of teachers in America. She also obtained a grant from the Westgate Teacher’s Fellowship Fund to travel to Belize and Guatemala in 1999 to study marine and rainforest habitats.

Cassy met her spouse Robert Kloumann, at Denver University. On one of their first dates, they went skiing, and Robert flew down the mountain in daredevil mode, showing off, expecting to find her left far behind, only to discover that she was right next to him! They married on June 22, 1968, in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts, at the Unitarian Church, and they honeymooned in Europe and Norway for several months. They built two summer cottages: the “Beach Plum”, and the beloved “Beach Barn” on Chappaquiddick Island, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, in the early 1970s, and lived in Englewood, Colorado until 1982, when they moved back to Massachusetts, choosing a house in Orleans on Cape Cod. They later purchased a semi-retirement condo on Abaco Island in the Bahamas, which they enjoyed for a decade before it was washed away by Hurricane Dorian (2019).

Cassandra was a consummate improver of her home environment, a trait she shared with her husband. Together, they created a beautiful, comfortable home and a stunning garden, meticulously doing all the professional caliber work themselves, constantly updating and adjusting aspects of their home to please themselves and to graciously host family and friends. Her home was an extension of her generous, loving, and hospitable spirit. In the spirit of her conservation mindset, Cassy was ahead of the curve on the upcycling trend—one of her favorite places to “shop” was the gift shop at the Orleans Transfer Station, where she found many unique treasures. Daily, she curated beautiful tabletops with an eye for color and composition so that each meal that she lovingly prepared was set in beauty with tablecloths, cloth napkins, candles, flowers, china, silver, and seasonal flair, not to mention the unusual goblets or other tableware trinkets unearthed with a discerning eye from the gift shop. Cassy was an excellent cook, and she utilized an extensive library of cookbooks to avoid repetition. She especially had an interest in healthy eating, which went hand in hand with her love of exercise and movement.

Cassy is deeply missed by her loving family; her spouse, Robert Kloumann, her daughter Karyn Kloumann and her spouse, Lucas Cushanick; her daughter Erika K. Montesano and her spouse Gene Montesano and their son, Lucca Montesano; and her brothers Thomas D. Maples, Timothy Q. Maples, and Jonathan K. Maples, and his wife Irene Salata Maples and their children Kate Maples Novotny, Alice Maples, Sam Maples, Rachel, Lauren, and Steve Salata, and their spouses and children; her sister-in-law Ann Haraldstad and her spouse Jon Haraldstad, and their daughters Christine Haraldstad Sindum, Jannie Haraldstad, and Emily Haraldstad Kvåle, and their spouses and children.

The family would like to express extra gratitude to Judith and Dan Shay of Orleans for extraordinary care and compassion during a very difficult time.

Donation Suggestion

Because Cassandra cared about the environment and loved her chosen hometown of Orleans, donations in her name can be made here: https://orleansconservationtrust.org/give-to-oct/