Barbara Lucy Matthews Cassels, retired medical worker, poet

Barbara Lucy Matthews Cassels passed away on April 1 in Ridgefield. Born to Frederick and Florence Matthews on June 10, 1916 in Hollywood, Calif., she lived in New Jersey for much of her youth. She was married to Charles Cassels and spent several years in Argentina and Uruguay before returning to the United States in 1951.

She lived in Nyack, N.Y., and worked as a cardiology assistant. She then moved to New York City where she continued to work as a medical assistant until she moved to Ridgefield in 1996.

Blessed with the gifts of a special wit and sense of humor, she was best known for her unconditional love and care for her family and friends, her family said. A lover of letters and literature, she spent much of her time putting her thoughts into written form. Many of her letters and poems reflected her hidden passion to become a writer, they said. As the years passed, she often expressed her belief that the most important thing in life is family. She frequently expressed to them the thought that “...If you love me, love each other...” the family said. 

She is survived by her daughter, Lynn Palmer Bowes of Harrisburg, Pa., and her granddaughter, Erika Lynn Vassal of Gales Ferry. She is also survived by her son, Christopher John Cassels and Anne Marie, his wife and her special friend. Both live in Ridgefield. Her two grandsons, Sean Christopher Cassels and Kirk Andrew Cassels, live in New York City and Philadelphia respectively. The family looks forward to the birth of her great-granddaughter, Olivia Vassal.

A memorial service will be held at Saint Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Ridgefield on Sunday, April 17. Contact the church office for details. Memorials may be sent to the Visiting Nurse Association of Ridgefield.

04/06/2005