Eleanor Cassada

January 26, 1937 to August 27, 2026

Eleanor Frances Rollo Cassada, age 89, known as “Ellie” by her family and friends, died peacefully surrounded by her family on Thursday, August 27, 2026. Ellie was born on January 26, 1937 in West Virginia, the only child of Vernie Nesbert Rollo and Ann Clingenpeel Rollo (SKA Ann C. Venters). Ellie was raised in War, West Virginia by her grandparents, Marion T. Clingenpeel and Oma J. Clingenpeel. Through her upbringing, Ellie learned to be humble and kind, values that became the guiding light of her entire life.

As a coal miner’s granddaughter, she graduated from Big Creek High School in 1954, and attended Nursing School in Roanoke Va. There she met and married Dr. William (Bill) A. Cassada, Jr. In 1956, Ellie and Bill moved to Brookneal,Va to establish a family medical practice, where Ellie worked as the office manager and provided nursing support, in addition to raising their growing family. Eventually Ellie and Bill moved to Roanoke, Va where they spent the majority of their married life together.

Throughout her life Ellie had wide-ranging interests that she passionately pursued. She was an avid reader, an expert seamstress, loved collecting antiques and pottery, and travelled the country and world with her family. Ellie and Bill built a vacation home on Smith Mountain Lake that became the center of many happy family gatherings. In her later years, the lake house became her peaceful retreat. Since 2014, Ellie and her daughter Catherine shared a home in Charlottesville where they welcomed a variety of miniature dogs and spent many hours gardening in the courtyard. Flowers were another lifelong passion of Ellie’s.

Ellie will be remembered for her calm, warm personality, beautiful smile and infectious laugh. She moved through the world with a gentle spirit, putting others before herself. She gave each of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren her unconditional love. She began life as an only child but became the beloved matriarch of a large family.

In addition to Bill, Ellie is preceded in death by her grandparents and parents. She is survived by her daughter, Catherine Cassada Kern of Charlottesville, Virginia, three sons, William Abraham Cassada, III (Lyn), of Madison, Virginia; Garland Stuart Cassada (Kaky) of Charlotte, North Carolina; and David Christopher Cassada (Nina) of Charlottesville, Virginia; ten grandchildren: David William Cassada (Megan), Daryn Lynn Cassada, and Taylor Leigh Cassada of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Jocelyn Cassada Harder (Brad) of Atlanta, Georgia and Garland Stuart Cassada, Jr. of Charlotte, North Carolina; William Allen Kern (Adrienne) of Charlottesville, Virginia and Sarah Eleanor Kern of Richmond, Virginia; and Mary Bradley Cassada and Ann Parker Cassada of Richmond and Addison Laurens Cassada of Lynchburg, Virginia; and five great grandchildren: Theodore David Kern of Charlottesville, Virginia; Gavin Cassada and Harlem Faith of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania and Katherine Martin Harder and Jane Margaret Harder of Atlanta, Georgia. She is also survived by her close friend Allan Harvey.

A private family memorial service and interment will be held at Westhampton Memorial Park in Richmond, Virginia.