Month: March 2008

A sad but glorious weekend. Dan was playing golf with 2 of his sons Good Friday and started feeling bad on the 9th hole. He told them he had better go on home. Jeb called me to tell me he was bringing Dad home. They were pretty far away because Grant lives in Athens and they were playing at a course between Snellville & Athens. As they traveled, Dan said he had better go to the emergency room. Jeb called me and told me to meet him at Northside with Dan’s nitroglycerin. By the time I arrived, Dan was there and Jeb was in the “Quiet Room”. He actually died on 285 at the exit of Peachtree Dunwoody where the hospital is. No heartbeat or breathing. Poor Jeb. He was trying to keep him alive until he could make it to the hospital. What a shock.

Thank goodness all of my children and grandchildren and Patsy came and really, along with all of the tears was a lot of joy as we celebrated Dan’s life. Gosh he was so loved. We all went to Mass Sunday morning – Easter – and the funeral was Monday. I’ve never been to a more beautiful, joyful funeral. My church choir sang the songs we selected and the music was absolutely the most beautiful and just perfect. They even did the Meditation song as “Danny Boy”. Our wonderful friend and previous pastor, Fr. Paul Fogarty presided along with our current pastor, Fr. Patrick Kingery. Two other priests just showed up and vested and served. They were good friends in years gone by and one had married Jeb and Kathy 21 years ago. What a wonderful surprise and tribute.

Three of our grandchildren (Kelly, Claire and Andrew) served as Altar Servers, 5 grands (Nicole, Danny, Eric, David and Fiona) brought down the gifts, Ted did the first reading, Grant the second reading. Jeb did a witness talk – funny and tender, and Bob (Carol’s husband) did the 2nd witness talk and was just great. He knows how to make people laugh as he told some of the crazy stories about Grandaddy. Michael was too young to participate, but was such a good boy all during the service. He seemed to understand that he needed to be good and he definitely is sad that grandaddy died.

Jeb put together a great slide show with all of the pictures of Dan with family, he was always cutting up with the kids and grands. We had tables of memorabilia – pictures and all sorts of stuff. I can’t guess how many people came – but at least 500. Dan’s siblings were all there – Margie, Jack, Kay and her daughter Kathleen, Bob and his kids, Anthony and his wife Ashley, Bill, John and Tyler., Eleanor and Chris, Edward’s children, Milette and Victor and their children Charlie, Elliot and Meg. Of course, my right arm, Patsy, was here the whole time, and her girls Laurie with John, and Debbie, Betty Claire, Elizabeth and Robby represented Betty.

The Women’s Club served a luncheon in the Parish Hall for everyone who wanted to come and the food was delicious. They had tablecloths and it looked so pretty. I was so proud.

I’ve never hugged so many people and felt so loved. We have had so much food brought by – fed so many people here at the house. Patsy, Carol, Kathy, Jami, Susan, Nicole and Patsy’s girls, Laurie and Debbie, kept the food rolling in and out. Our family is so close and each one just did the right thing. Yesterday afternoon until 10 last night we had an “Irish Wake”. We started with bloody mary’s and each person here toasted Dan and told a story about things they remembered. It was great. My family is so loud and fun and we just laughed and loved each other all day. Dan, I know, is proud that we were able to celebrate with so much joy.

Now life goes on, but I know Dan will do wonders for all of us in Heaven. I’m sure he arranged yesterday that Grant got a contract on one of his houses for asking price. Let’s all write down the things he’s doing for us from Heaven. It’s nice to have a direct line.

I love you, honey, and all of the rest do, to.

DANIEL JOSEPH CASHIN, 74, of Tucker, GA, died on March 21, 2008. He was born on October 25, 1933 in Augusta, GA the son of the late Edward Joseph Cashin and Margaret O’Leary Cashin. Survivors include his wife, Julie Grant Cashin and their four children and nine grandchildren. These include, Jeb and Kathy Cashin of Snellville, Georgia, and their four children Nicole, Danny, Kelly, and Mary Claire; Carol and Bob Ettensohn of Lakeland, FL, and their three children, Eric, David, and Andrew; Ted Cashin of Avondale Estates, GA; and Grant and Jami Cashin of Athens, GA, and their two children Fiona and Michael. Preceding him in death is his elder brother Edward. Surviving are his brothers and sisters Margie Fogarty of Savannah, GA, and Kay Nohe, Bob Cashin, and Eleanor Johann, all of Augusta, Georgia.

He was a devout Catholic and for the past 21 years a member of the Holy Cross Parish in Tucker where he served as a Stephen Minister, a Eucharistic Minister to the Homebound, an Adoration Guardian and a leader in RCIA. He was also a member of the Finance Council. Previously he was an active member of Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Dan graduated from the University of Georgia in 1955. He gave his college ring to his granddaughter, Nicole, when she graduated from UGA 50 years later in 2005. This famous ring was lost for over 25 years until mysteriously found on a lake beach in Oklahoma. From 1955 to 1957, he served in the U.S. Navy as a Lt. JG on the aircraft carrier USS Bennington.

He began his professional career as a CPA with Ernst & Ernst, eventually becoming the Chief Financial Officer of Vintage Enterprises. He semi-retired starting his own accounting consultancy after earning his Executive MBA from Georgia State in 1990. He served Father Ho Lung and the Missionaries of the Poor including working directly with the poor in the slums of Jamaica. He also volunteered with Good Shepherd Services and the Crisis Pregnancy Center. He fully retired in 1999, devoting more time to his volunteer efforts, family, church, and golf game.

He died suddenly on a beautiful Good Friday shortly after a round of golf, beating his sons Grant and Jeb. The funeral Mass will be celebrated by Msgr. Paul Fogarty and Father Patrick Kingery at Holy Cross Catholic Church on Chamblee-Tucker Road, Monday, March 24, at 11 a.m. Visitation with the family will be Sunday from 5 – 6 p.m. followed by a Rosary led by Deacon Cece Reimer at Lowndes & McClane Funeral Home in Tucker, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to St. Martin de Porres Food Ministry at Holy Cross Catholic Church. Lowndes & McLane Funeral Home, 770.491.3021.

Published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on 3/23/2008.

Guest Book

After the parade, the C—–s headed over for a party at the “tent” on Reynolds Street. Dad had not eaten lunch, but had 3 tiny cucumber sandwiches with a beer – no water! As he started the 2nd beer, he got dizzy and he got in a golf cart provided by the security to sit down. He leaned over and Patricia Scroggins (an emergency room nurse and the daughter of Jane Eubanks) was holding his feet so he could stretch out more. Then, according to Kay and Bob, he fainted. He was only out for a minute, but it was scarry enough that Bob called 911 and got an ambulance (Glad Cross Ambulance Service) and off he went to the emergency room at University Hospital. They arrived about 5:00 p.m. Kay was riding in the front seat of the ambulance and Shannon McClleon, an EMT, rode in the back with him and kept him entertained. It turned out that she is a good friend of Kelly & John C—–. (This is Augusta for you). Dad said that those security people are just sitting around hoping for an emergency or that someone will die or something to add to the excitement.

A cardiologist by the name of Dr. Utze (sounds like ooots) wanted Dad to have a stress test and some other tests so she wanted him to stay over night. I was not in Augusta because I was scheduled to usher at the Symphony Friday night. Nobody called to tell me that my dear husband was in the emergency room! [Note: Mom did not have her cell phone because Dad had it. –Ed.] They all blamed it on Dad who they said told them not to call me until they knew the status of whether he was going to spend the night.

When I got home from the Symphony about 10:45, I was surprised he was not home, yet. I listened to the messages on the answering machine and he had called about 9 p.m. to tell me where he was. I called Kay but she did not answer, then I called Carol, and decided I would just try to call him on the cell phone. He answered. Kay had just left the hospital, having never left his side since all of this began. She called me back when she got home and filled me in on all of the details.

The next morning, Dad was waiting for the stress test and had no idea what time he would have it. Mary Ann called and said son Ed would be glad to pick me up and take me to Augusta because he was coming down to get her, anyhow. Jeb and Ted had both offered to take me down, but this saved them the trouble. So, I packed suitcases for both Dad and me in case we needed to stay over night again.

I got there about 1:45 and Kay and Eleanor were both there in the room, but Dad was down having tests. He returned to the room about 2:30. Soon, Bob and Karine came in. Then, the nurse came back and collected him again to take him for more tests. The Saturday Cardiologist, Dr. Peter J. Bigham, came in and said he did not know how long he would have to stay in the hospital. Apparently, the doctor wanted to compare his vital signs on Saturday with the ambulance records of Friday, but they were lost in the computer world somewhere and could not be retrieved until Monday.

Bless Kay’s heart, she had been there all day and finally left about 4:00 p.m. Right after that, the doctor came back and told us that his heart seemed strong, no signs of a heart attack other damage, but that it was a puzzle he would like to solve as to why he fainted. He thought it would be best to discharge him from the hospital and let him get back to Atlanta to his doctors who have his history. That was a relief. We both wanted to go home. By the time they got him ready to check out, we had a call from Kathleen saying that we had better watch the weather station because there were tornados along I-20. We looked and sure enuf! So, Mary Ann invited us to come to her house to spend the night.

We checked out of the hospital at 5:30 and went to Mary Ann’s. Had cocktails with her and Ed (who had a coke). Ed and Mary Ann left to go out to dinner, and while they were gone, the weather seemed to have cleared up, so we decided to go on home. Left there at 8:00 p.m. and got home at 10:10. Glad to be back in our nest!

I can’t begin to say how much friends and family mean at times like this. I just want to jot down all of the visitors to the hospital and telephone calls from people who were concerned about Dad.

Visitors – Kay, Bob, Kathleen, John, Kelly, Jake, Eleanor, Karine, Ed, Mary Ann.

Telephone calls – Carol (many times), Grant (first caller to Dad in his room on Saturday morning), Margie, Jeb, Dot Armstrong, Billy Fair, Ferris Doyle, Claire Schweers, Jane Eubanks, Patricia Scroggins, Buddy Frank Thompson (used to be Buddy, but now he wants to be called Frank since he’s been so sick).

Kay was such a wonderful caretaker. She said she went to bed at 8:00 p.m. Saturday night because she felt like a cell phone that had no bars left.

Another funny thing was when Ed was talking about his Julia Pearl C—– that Mary & he are expecting in July. He said when Mary went to the doctor, the doctor pressed on Mary’s stomach, and Julia danced on Mary’s bladder. They could see this happening by some other miraculous technical invention.

Special thanks to others who extended help before Dad got in the ambulance: Patricia Scroggins, Judd Hickey (a dentist and a Markwalter in-law), a young doctor passing by whose name we don’t know, and all of the EMT’s who helped.

Another special thanks to Kathleen who took the old Honda Accord and had it washed!!! So nice to drive home in a clean car.