Thomas James Cassleman

GROSSE POINTE -Thomas J. Cassleman, 73, died at home on August 16, 2018. Beloved husband of Elizabeth. Loving father of Patrick (Cynthia), Paul (Rachael), Sean (Carly), David and Louis. Dear grandfather of Belle, Elliot, Angela, Cole and Bridget. Proud uncle of many nieces and nephews. He is survived by his siblings John, David, Mary, Robert and Christopher. He was preceded in death by his adored wife, Angela; his father, John and mother, Mary Belle. Tom was born in Fort Riley, KS during World War II and raised in Grand Rapids, MI. He was born into a young, growing Catholic family. His father was an Army cavalry officer who spent his career as a banker. His mother was a school teacher who raised five sons and a daughter. Tom lived a classic American boyhood in the 1950s - playing sports, going to see sci-fi movie matinees at the theatre, getting stuck in quicksand and being rescued by the fire department, hanging out in Grand Haven and generally making trouble with his brother, John, and friends in Grand Rapids. When he was 14 years old, Tom felt a call to the Catholic priesthood and entered the seminary. He spent eight years as a seminarian, excelling as a student at St. Josephs Seminary in Grand Rapids and St. Marys Seminary and University in Baltimore, MD. Nearing the end of college, Tom began to discern a different path for himself and - fortunately for his sons - he left the seminary in 1966. A young graduate, Tom was promptly drafted into the U.S. Army but decided instead to sign on for a longer tour of duty in the Navy. Tom worked in military intelligence aboard the U.S.S. Shangri-La and did cruises in the Mediterranean and western Pacific during the Vietnam Era. Tom saw the world as a sailor. He visited various European ports, Rio de Janeiro, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Japan. When he was on land, he bought a motorcycle - and crashed it at least once. Toms commanding officers described him as conscientious, scholarly and idealistic - someone who was good for morale and full of humor. Tom was honorably discharged as a petty officer second class in 1972. Tom met Angela Cera when he was on leave from the Navy in October 1969 and visiting Michigan State University. For him, it was love at first sight. He wrote her letters on subsequent cruises, and they were married in 1973. Tom enrolled in graduate school, studying and teaching the classics at Wayne State University. Angela was a state vocational rehabilitation counselor. After considering a career in academia, Tom decided to leave teaching and took a job with the Department of Veterans Affairs, working as a claims adjudicator at the regional office in Detroit. Tom and Angela bought a house in Grosse Pointe on University Place in 1976 and started a family soon after. Patrick Alexander was born in 1978. Paul Vincent was born in 1981. Sean Anthony was born in 1984. In the mid-1980s, Tom endured a period of incredible loss. Angela died suddenly and unexpectedly on a snowy day in January 1985. His own father had died in 1983, and his mother passed away in 1986. Tom was now a widower and a single father. He was devastated - but he persevered with the help of his faith and family. Tom met Beth Jacques at work in the McNamara Federal Building in downtown Detroit. She was nearly 13 years younger than him. Beth worked as a claims representative for the social security administration. They started dating in August 1986 and were married in September 1988. Tom and Beth moved to Washington Road in 1989 and had two children together. David Allan was born in 1990. Louis Christian was born in 1997. Tom spent his career serving veterans, and he retired as a veterans service representative with the VA in 2010. The next part of his life was defined by family and Christian charity. He watched his family grow with weddings and the births of his grandkids. Tom celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary with Beth in 2013. Tom also began working with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul at St. Paul on the Lake during retirement. He was the president of the parishs St. Vincent de Paul Society when he died, and he earned the distinction of a Top Hat Award from the organization in southeast Michigan in 2018. A better writer could sum up all the stuff that Tom loved in a more literary way. But since that writer isnt here, this is a list of stuff Tom loved: Water. Sailing his boat for 33 years- a Captiva 240. Watching the ships of the Great Lakes. Fishing off his boat. Cigars on the boat. Wednesday night races during the summer. The cottage. Reading widely. Sending his five sons to University of Detroit Jesuit High School. Making and drinking manhattans. Grilling and eating steak, ribs and burgers. Cherry pie. Eating graham crackers and milk before bed. Watching the Lions, Tigers, Pistons, Spartans and Wolverines. Berating the referees. U of D Cubs football and basketball. Beethoven. Airplanes. His trusty pair of binoculars. His incorruptible Great Lakes sweatshirt. A pair of wingtip brogues. Baseball caps. The newspaper. Coffee and conversation with Mom. Resting his eyes after dinner, i.e. falling asleep. Tom was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in December 2015. He bravely underwent surgery, chemotherapy and radiation over the following year, and pushed the cancer into remission. In June 2018, he learned that the cancer had come back. Tom decided to fight the cancer through chemotherapy. He was determined to overcome his illness and keep living, and he held on for as long as he could. Tom loved people. He loved talking to them and helping them - whether they were family, friends or perfect strangers. Tom loved praying with them. While at the VA, he made friends with the street people around his downtown office and gave them money and clothing. Tom spent more time going to funerals in a year than most will in a lifetime. Tom believed the meaning of life, as told to his son Patrick, is this: to find God, and to know him through the sacraments. Visitation Sunday 2:00 pm - 9:00 pm with Rosary at 7:00 pm at the A.H. Peters Funeral Home, 20705 Mack at Vernier Road, Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan 48236. Funeral Monday, instate; 11:30 am until time of mass 12:00 noon at St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church, 157 Lake Shore Drive, Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan 48236. Monsignor Patrick Halfpenny will be officiating. Memorial Contributions to St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Paul on the Lake Catholic church.

Funeral Home:

A. H. Peters Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe

20705 Mack Avenue

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

US 48236

Service:

A. H. Peters Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe

20705 Mack Avenue

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

US 48236

Visitation:

A. H. Peters Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe

20705 Mack Avenue

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

US 48236