Vennia Mae Richards

   Another name for Vennia was Calamity Jane.

  General Notes:

April 15, 1913 - Oct. 27, 2009

LEWIS – Vennia passed away peacefully at Elizabethtown Community Hospital, October 27, 2009 at the age of 96.

She was born April 15, 1913 in Elizabethtown, the daughter of Bessie Jenners and Orrin Richards. She was raised by her father and beloved stepmother, Mary Rumney Richards.

She attended Pine Grove School and Elizabethtown High School. She married Thomas E. Cassavaugh on October 28, 1930 with whom she bore four children. She worked at the Windsor Hotel, the old Community House and was a matron at Essex County Jail. While raising a family in Stowersville she ran a boarding house for Tom's logging business employees and bred and raised boxer dogs. In 1952 she and Tom ventured to Florida where they both groomed and trained standardbred horses, returning to Saratoga, NY during racing season. There she worked as a groom, CNA and did private duty at Saratoga Hospital while Tom was a NYSHA judge.

Vennia was an expert caregiver for her husband when he was stricken by cancer as well as caring for a special foster granddaughter, Dale Potter, for twenty-seven years. Retirement was spent on the Hyde Road in Lewis and the past ten years with family and at the Horace Nye Nursing Home. She was a member of the Rebekah Lodge in Wadhams and a 52 year member of the Lewis American Legion Auxiliary.

Vennia loved children, animals, gardening, cooking and especially sharing whatever she had with others. She was a loving, caring, generous and was dedicated to all her endeavors, never selfish, demanding or imposing, always a lady and contented with life.

Her kindness and consideration, along with her friendly, beautiful smile and big heart will remain a part of the lives of her two daughters, Myrna and husband, Floyd LaBombard of Lewis and Brenda Butcher of DeLeon Springs, Florida, 17 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren, and 20 great-great grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband of 50 years and two sons, Thomas and Hubert, brother, Gordon Richards, and two stepbrothers, Alvin and Lee Rumney.

She is survived by two sisters-in-law, Iola Collinson and Patricia Cline, and several nieces and nephews.

A graveside service was held Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 1 p.m. at the Lewis Cemetery.

Vennia married Thomas Cassavaugh, son of Samual John Cassavaugh and Elnora Macdougal, on 28 Oct 1930. (Thomas Cassavaugh was born on 28 Mar 1910 and died on 1 Jul 1980 in Westport, Essex, NY.)