Victoria M. Fassinger's Obituary
Victoria Fassinger Obituary
"All things are possible through the power of prayer" (Vicki Casini-Fassinger). Blessed with a truly extraordinary disposition that overflowed with authentic joy, infectious optimism, intrinsic kindness, quick-witted lightheartedness, and an instantly-forgiving heart, it's easy to see how this creed that Vicki wrote and included in her daily prayers empowered her to embrace each day with love, laughter, faith, and hope. A deeply-spiritual and devout Catholic, Vicki radiated her religious fervor throughout her life not only privately through her hours of daily prayer for each individual friend and family member who had gone before her and for those still with her here on earth, but also publicly by how she and the love of her life - her husband, Jack Fassinger, - chose to rear their three children (by always honoring and celebrating all the Sacraments, the religious Holydays, and Catholic holidays and by providing their children with formal Catholic schooling from grade school through college).Born on April 22, Vicki was the youngest of 11 children born to Rosalie Giuffre-Speziale-Selvaggio-Casini and Dominic Casini. Because she was reared in a traditional loving and close-knit Italian family (replete with: the regular feasts of Italian cuisine created from scratch with the fresh fruits, vegetables, and ingredients from both her mom's store and garden, the syncopated sounds of her mom strumming the mandolin (a gift given to Rosalie from the Italian tenor opera singer, Enrico Caruso), and the sharing of laughter and late-night stories under the covers with her sisters) and because her mom died when Vicki was just 20, staying physically close and emotionally connected to her 10 siblings and their beautiful families throughout her life was truly important to her. From her brother Joseph Speziale to her siblings Vincent, Pauline, Mamie, Jennie, Angeline, and Vita Selvaggio; and her sisters Helen, Mafalda, and Yolanda Casini - Victoria purposefully made the time to take her own three young children on regular casual afternoon visits to her siblings' homes and to all the formal family celebrations at her father's (Dominic Casini) home so that her children could come to know, love, respect, and appreciate her siblings as much as she did. She remained the one, strong, steadfast link - the one interconnecting thread - keeping the ties strong throughout the Speziale-Selvaggio-Casini family. In fact, in early 2000, she began what was to become an ongoing written correspondence with her cousin, Professor Remo Cacciafesta, (Dominic's nephew) in Rome, Italy. In addition to sustaining meaningful relationships with her relatives across the country and abroad, it also meant a lot to Vicki to maintain her friendships with her friends and their families. In fact, over a decade ago, her dear friend from the 1940s, Art McHale, reconnected with her; through regular phone calls, heartfelt letters, and beautiful gifts, Dr. William (Art) McHale remained in close and very recent contact with Vicki - his first love.Vicki attended South High School where she was an active member of all things that nourished creativity in one's soul - from creating art for exhibits to performing in plays and being the lead female singer of a Big Band ensemble, Vicki was the quintessential young artist-in-the-making. She belonged to the Friendship Club, the Home Economics Club, Student Council, Victory Corps, A Cappella Choir, Opera, Vocal Ensemble, Jamboree, Spring Play, Spring Concert, Jazz Concert, and the Mask & Wig Club; she was a Hall Guard, a Movie Cashier, and an Office Assistant. Upon graduating from South High, she did her undergraduate studies at Fenn College.While working at the Cleveland Arcade, she met and fell in love with Jack Fassinger - the man who was to become her soulmate, her life's partner, the devoted father of their three children. She was impressed by Jack for many reasons - outside of his blue eyes, charismatic personality, and devotion to his mother and father and his family business at the Arcade, it was the great lessons of life that Jack had learned throughout his military service, his world travels, and his civilian life that he shared with her that impressed her the most - the importance of honor and integrity, of being a person on whom others can rely, of being both trusting and trustworthy, of realizing you have a spiritual nature as well as a physical nature, and of knowing how to love and be loved.Jack inspired her to compose, write, and perform her music. In addition to big band, jazz, and blues, she enjoyed all genres of music and attended numerous concerts throughout the years, including B.B. King at the Palace with Vicque and her brother-in-law Judge Slivka, and a Henry Rollins spoken word gig in Columbus with her husband, Jack, and her Vicque. In fact, just last month Vicki and her daughter started the process for securing their own radio show at 94.1 FM - the Big Band Radio station in Bainbridge, Ohio.Along with music, her love for learning also continued to flourish throughout her life. With an insatiable desire to ever be improving, exploring, and discovering new things, Victoria and Vicque just recently took a Watercolor Art course at the Cleveland Museum of Art (2011), a college course in Italian Language in (2011-2012), a college course in Art Appreciation (2013), and even completed Qi Gong classes. Vicki was able to utilize her love for creativity and her exceptional people skills in the professional world as well - from being a beautiful Polaroid model, an Executive Assistant at the Jewish Convalescent Hospital, and an Ophthalmologist's Assistant, to teaching children their ABCs, how to write, and how to read phonetically at St. Pius X. With the creative spirit of an entrepreneur, Vicki encouraged and guided the start-up & development of America's best professional & creative writing service - Blue Flamingo ProductionsAC. - where she scheduled and personally interviewed clients; wrote and edited projects; operated the computers, copy machines, and other office equipment; and ever-so-patiently and lovingly worked alongside her daughter, Vicque, in the writing, editing, and producing of thousands of unique creative projects, including the layout, design, collating, publishing, and promoting of two books for the (now late), great JCU Professor James Magner, and the creation of one-of-a-kind projects for several NFL football players from The Cleveland Browns. Vicki loved to play the piano, paint with watercolors, watch old movies, nurture her flower garden, yell "Bingo!", read inspirational, religious, and classic books, and laugh out loud to the great one-liners on The Golden Girls. She was a great cook. She not only made thee best baked chicken coated with Italian breadcrumbs anyone had ever tasted, but also the most delicious apple pies, Italian meatballs, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.Vicki was a great blackjack, rummy, and pinochle partner. She could identify the phrases on Wheel of Fortune (both the TV game show and the Wii game) before anyone else in the room, and was always the first one to shout out the right question on Jeopardy! She was an incredible party planner, phenomenal speller, and a professional Wii bowler. She had a contagious smile and a twinkle in her eyes that always made you feel loved, safe, and comfortable. She enjoyed acupuncture sessions, climbed mountains in Arizona, experienced an awesome and adventurous roadtrip to Las Vegas with her husband, and regularly visited, groomed, and hugged Tia, the beautiful Quarter Horse that was both hers and Vicque's. She loved golf and enjoyed watching it on TV, playing it on various courses, and encouraging her son, John, to do his best in every tournament he entered from a young age. For several winters, Victoria and John vacationed in Scottsdale where they stayed with John, their daughter-in-law Jennifer, and their grandson Brandon; together Jack and John, Jr. often hit the links at Arizona's renowned Troon, Desert Mountain GC, Paradise Valley GC, and Boulders. When her son and his family moved back to Ohio from Arizona, Vicki loved having her grandchildren - Brandon, Aly, Tristan, and Kaden - spend the weekends at her home. She frequently visited her daughter, Jackie, for months at a time in Virginia - enjoying long walks together, cheering on her grandsons Dustin and Scott during their sports events, exploring the state and neighbor DC, playing cards and chess, cooking, and sharing wonderful times with her daughter and family. She enjoyed regularly saying the rosary via Skype with Jackie.She had an uncanny way of putting people at ease; she had unconditional love and acceptance for her family, her friends, the world, and life. She readily acknowledged and appreciated the beauty of a cardinal just outside her window, the cleverness of the squirrels snacking on the bird feeders in her yard, the ease of the neighborhood cats lounging on her front steps, and the magnificence of the first site of spring. Vicki is mourned deeply by her loving daughter, Jackie (husband: Brian), a retired teacher from Virginia and the mother of her first two grandsons - the first grandson, Dustin (wife: Theresa) and their two children - Victoria's first great-grandchild, Easton and her namesake Irenea Victoria; and her second grandson, Scott; Victoria's son, John, Jr., (wife: Jennifer) a professional golfer and former staff member of Jack Nicklaus' Desert Mountain, and their four children - Brandon, Alexandra, Tristan, and Kaden; her Arizona-born dog, Shadow; and me - her biggest fan, her cheerleader, her occupational therapist, her dental hygienist, her respiratory therapist, her nurse, her fashion stylist, her physical therapist, her manicurist, her transportation coordinator, her executive chef, her buddy, her pal, her laundress, her entertainment planner, her social calendar executive, her medical advocate, her best friend, her other half, her devoted and loving and blessed and humbled daughter, her favorite.On Sunday morning, October 6th, 2013 at 11:05 AM, the world profoundly changed; Victoria "Vicki" Casini-Fassinger - surrounded by the tears, prayers, and loving arms of her middle child, Vicque, and her ever-faithful dog, Shadow, took her first breath in Heaven.Friends & family are invited to her funeral services and to celebrate her life this Saturday, October 12th at St. Monica's Church on Rockside Road in Garfield Heights. The Mass, which will be celebrated for both Victoria and Jack (who waited for his loving wife to reunite with him in Heaven to celebrate their Mass together) starts at 9:30 AM. Following the services, all are invited to join the family at The Cleveland Zoo - where Victoria ventured to once a week with her daughter, Vicque, and where Jack worked (for the MetroParks' Sleepy Hollow). Work as if everything depended upon you; pray as if everything depended upon God. (Saint Augustine)In lieu of flowers, contribution envelopes will be provided at church
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