Everyone is special to Rita Cassius
By Lynda Peeler

The "Paris of South America", Buenos Aires, Argentina was the first home of Rita Cassius. Her parents were intelligent people and her father was an exacting person who manufactured soccer balls by hand. As a young woman she belonged to a sport and social club. When the war broke out she would enjoy going to this club to dance. One night a Merchant Marine ship came in and a young man came with his friend to the club. One look at Rita and he told his friend "She's going to be my wife". Little did Rita suspect that this was to be; she was just 17, he 19. Nine months later they were married.

They came to the United States to New York. Rita didn't speak English; she was barely 18, missed her parents and was homesick for her younger brothers. So back to Argentina where they lived and Rita had two sons. She was older and better prepared to come back to the U.S. Here her husband finished his education in food service. He worked in several hospitals in New York City. Rita's favorite memories were of her home and entertaining. "My house was like Grand Central Station, everybody was special, everyone came to visit, friends, relatives and children's friends," said Rita.

In the midst of this entertaining, Rita worked for awhile with her brothers in the diamond jewelry business on 47th Street in New York City.

Rita's husband's friend, who was present at the proclamation of intent to marry, married approximately the same time, had children about the same time, and although they lived on opposite coasts remained lifelong friends. They had memorable adventures as they both purchased identical motor homes in different colors and set out together for one year and two months as they traveled to 29 different countries, actually living in some for awhile. They took about 12 ferries, and got stuck in streets too narrow to let their motor homes pass.

The motor home became old hat so at the encouragement of Floridian friends the Cassius family bought an apartment in Sunrise where they lived for ten years; they decided to move to Winston Towers about seven years ago.

Rita kept an apartment in New York for several reasons, her love of theater and her son worked on Wall Street. This apartment was her stopping-off point when she traveled internationally. The most memorable trip was to a wedding in Brazil, and on her return she stopped in New York to close the apartment - on September 10th. Her son insisted on coming to help her with her bags, and she couldn't convince him she could be independent. He arrived just about the time of the 9/11 tragedy which they thought was a photo shoot for a movie until the second plane hit. They saw the buildings come down, not realizing at the moment that the building in which her son worked also came down.

She is a member of B'Nai Zion Sisterhood, is active with Concerned Citizens. She loves to travel, and loves the theater. She said her apartment was within walking distance of the New York theaters and she would go even by herself every chance she had. Rita's joy is babysitting her grandchildren who live in Golden Beach.

A warm and loving lady to whom everyone is special, Rita Cassius.

 

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