Patricia T. Kassilke
May 11, 1931 ~ May 7, 2021
Patricia (Tearno) Kassilke
Patricia (Tearno) Kassilke, passed from this life on Friday, May 7 in Springfield, Virginia. A native of Methuen, Massachusetts, Mrs. Kassilke graduated as Class Salutatorian from Edward F. Searles High School in Methuen, Massachusetts and was Valedictorian of her class in the College of Practical Arts and Letters from Boston University, earning a bachelor’s degree in English. She also received her Master’s degree in Education from UMass Salem.
Mrs. Kassilke taught middle school English in the Methuen Public Schools for 28 years, retiring in 1994.
Music was an integral part of her life. She was an accomplished vocalist, singing in Episcopal church choirs in Massachusetts and Virginia, and was very active in numerous choral societies and community musical theatre companies. Particularly memorable were her lead roles in productions of “Auntie Mame,” “Roberta” and “Hello Dolly,” performed by the New Essex Players in Haverhill, MA.
She also enjoyed bringing music to young people, both in extracurricular musical activities where she taught and, for many years, as musical director for a young persons’s Gilbert and Sullivan musical company, which performed at the Methuen Memorial Music Hall. She also served as a Trustee of the Music Hall.
In 2000, she and her husband, the late Donald F. Kassilke, moved to Northern Virginia to be close to their granddaughter.
Mrs. Kassilke was married for 60 years to Donald F. Kassilke, who predeceased her in 2016. She was the daughter of the late Thomas D. And M . Ruth (Dronsfield) Tearno. She was also predeceased by her brother, Carl A. Tearno.
She is survived by her son, Donald J. Kassilke, his wife Laurie Powers, who live in Vienna, Virginia and granddaughters Lauren Kassilke of Auburn, Alabama and Alexandra Powers of Vienna, Virginia. Also surviving her are her brother, T. Daniel Tearno and his wife, Kathleen (Savastano) Tearno of Haymarket, Virginia; as well as several nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to Mrs. Kassilke’s Life Celebration at Money & King Funeral Home, 171 Maple Ave W, Vienna, VA on Friday, May 14 from 10 a.m until time of service at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Church of the Holy Comforter. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Methuen Memorial Music Hall. For donation information, please visit their website at mmmh.org. Online condolences and fond memories may be offered to the family at www.moneyandking.com
Patricia (Tearno) Kassilke, passed from this life on Friday, May 7 in Springfield, Virginia. A native of Methuen, Massachusetts, Mrs. Kassilke graduated as Class Salutatorian from Edward F. Searles High School in Methuen, Massachusetts and was Valedictorian of her class in the College of Practical Arts and Letters from Boston University, earning a bachelor’s degree in English. She also received her Master’s degree in Education from UMass Salem.
Mrs. Kassilke taught middle school English in the Methuen Public Schools for 28 years, retiring in 1994.
Music was an integral part of her life. She was an accomplished vocalist, singing in Episcopal church choirs in Massachusetts and Virginia, and was very active in numerous choral societies and community musical theatre companies. Particularly memorable were her lead roles in productions of “Auntie Mame,” “Roberta” and “Hello Dolly,” performed by the New Essex Players in Haverhill, MA.
She also enjoyed bringing music to young people, both in extracurricular musical activities where she taught and, for many years, as musical director for a young persons’s Gilbert and Sullivan musical company, which performed at the Methuen Memorial Music Hall. She also served as a Trustee of the Music Hall.
In 2000, she and her husband, the late Donald F. Kassilke, moved to Northern Virginia to be close to their granddaughter.
Mrs. Kassilke was married for 60 years to Donald F. Kassilke, who predeceased her in 2016. She was the daughter of the late Thomas D. And M . Ruth (Dronsfield) Tearno. She was also predeceased by her brother, Carl A. Tearno.
She is survived by her son, Donald J. Kassilke, his wife Laurie Powers, who live in Vienna, Virginia and granddaughters Lauren Kassilke of Auburn, Alabama and Alexandra Powers of Vienna, Virginia. Also surviving her are her brother, T. Daniel Tearno and his wife, Kathleen (Savastano) Tearno of Haymarket, Virginia; as well as several nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invited to Mrs. Kassilke’s Life Celebration at Money & King Funeral Home, 171 Maple Ave W, Vienna, VA on Friday, May 14 from 10 a.m until time of service at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Church of the Holy Comforter. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Methuen Memorial Music Hall. For donation information, please visit their website at mmmh.org. Online condolences and fond memories may be offered to the family at www.moneyandking.com
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My sincere condolences to Mrs. Kassilke’s family. She was my 8th grade English teacher at MJH in 1967. She got me into a book club that started me on a lifetime of reading. She made it all interesting. Who remembers their 8th grade English teacher? I do! Rand Kimball, Sandown, NH