Patricia Ann Jarosi Lance Cassem of Foley, passed away peacefully on June 18, 2021, with her daughters by her side.
She was born in Toledo, Ohio, on March 6, 1945, to Dorothy (Spath) and Joseph Jarosi. She attended Our Lady of Perpetual Help Elementary School and graduated from Libby High School in 1962. She then went on to attend Ohio State University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in education in 1966, followed by a master’s degree in education.
She was a lifelong teacher and advocate for education. Pat had an almost 30-year career with Upper Arlington Schools in Columbus, Ohio. She began her teaching career at Greensview Elementary School and went on to be a guidance counselor, and then assistant principal, at Hastings Junior High School. In 1983, she moved to Upper Arlington High School as a guidance counselor and began her tenure of helping students find their college or vocation after school. At the end of her career, she moved as a counselor to Jones Middle School before retiring from Upper Arlington Schools.
In 1996, Pat met the love of her life, L.A. Cassem, and moved to Las Vegas, where she started a new career in education. She was a guidance counselor for the Clark County School District and a member of the state of Nevada’s Counselor’s Advisory Board.
In 2005, Pat retired for the last time when she and L.A. moved to Foley, because she always wanted to live near the beach.
If you asked Pat what she loved most in this world, she would tell you her daughters, Jackie and Jennifer, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Her love for the Buckeyes was borderline an obsession and she was known to march along with TBDBITL to the “Buckeye Battle Cry” while watching games at home. In fact, it’s possible she could out yell all 105,000 spectators at Ohio Stadium on any given football Saturday. She was a lifelong season ticket holder, making trips back to Columbus for games when she could.
Pat was a loving and supportive mother to Jackie and Jennifer, giving them everything they needed to spread their wings and fly. In 2001, Pat gained her greatest title - Grammy - with the birth of her first grandchild Mikayla. In 2004, came Dylan and 2007, Tessa. To say that her grandchildren loved and adored her would be an understatement. Grammy brought the fun every single time and her grandkids cherished her visits.
Pat was preceded in death by her husband of 24 years, L.A. Cassem, her mother, Dorothy, (Spath) Jarosi, father, Joseph Jarosi, brother Thomas Jarosi and sister-in-law Tina Jarosi. She is survived by her daughters, Jackie Lance Woodall (David) of Mountain Brook, Alabama, and Jennifer Lance (Rick Collins) of Hyampom, California, sister Mary Jo Weisenburger (Dick), brother Rick Jarosi, her grandchildren and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.
A memorial service will be held in Columbus, at a later date.
