Michael Dennis Cassidy

Mulvane - Cassidy, Michael Dennis

77, passed away Monday, February 26th, 2024.  He was born August 19th, 1946 to Robert Cassidy and Charlotte (Mosely) Cassidy in Kansas City, Kansas.

Mike and his six siblings were raised in Kansas City, a proud Irish Catholic Wyandotte County family. He graduated from Bishop Ward High School in 1964 and moved on to attend Rockhurst College where he received a bachelor’s degree in political science.

Mike had long been fascinated by the heavens, science fiction and things that moved faster than the speed of sound. As a child this fueled his desire to be an astronaut leading him to join the Air Force in 1971 and eventually landing him in the back seat of the F-4 Phantom as a Weapons System Officer and was forever assigned the callsign “Crash.”

In that same year, Mike proposed to Mary Ann Stump (for a second time) during a dinner at his parent’s house offering a beer tab in a ring box. She returned and affirming “yes”, and they were married on August 7th , 1971, surrounded by Mike’s family & Mary Ann’s family including her own 5 brothers and sister. Setting off on their new life together they began to move around and travel the world as duty called and new assignments would direct their path into the “Wild Blue Yonder”.

While stationed abroad their son Ryan was born in 1975 before eventually settling in the Wichita, Kansas area in late 1979 when Mike transitioned from the Air Force to the Kansas Air National Guard (KANG) where he took the position of Instructional Weapons Systems Officer (IWSO). A short time later in 1980 their daughter Megan was born, and they moved to Mulvane, Kansas where Mary Ann still resides today.  Mike continued to serve with the KANG until his retirement in 1991. He always remembered his active time in military as a landmark of his essence. Working with some of the finest individuals to serve and protect our country was one of many proud points of his life.

In the mid 1990’s Mike began his employment at Bombardier Aerospace/Learjet where he took to the skies once again, this time in the capacity of Flight Test Engineer. This new position found him working alongside a new group of highly trained individuals he both respected and enjoyed while addressing extreme weather conditions, tough aircraft certification deadlines and new everyday challenges working on some of the most sophisticated business jets of the day. Retiring from Bombardier/Learjet in 2018 marked the end of a second successful career in the aerospace industry.

After retiring, Mike enjoyed spending time with wife, kids, grandchildren, brothers, sisters and friends. Mike loved traveling to see his family, be it the “Kansas City Irish Fest” or working on a project together. He spoke of them with equally high regard for their intelligence, kindness, humor and love. His pride knew no bounds for his children and his grandchildren. He wondered who they would become as he watched them grow as individuals and fiercely loved them all.

Retirement didn’t stop him from making friends and he found new camaraderie and ways to carry on his patriotism with the “40&8” honor society that preserved the ideals he held with the people he has served and flew with. Always finding new ways to be of service.

But most of all, his greatest love was for his wife of 52 years, Mary Ann. Simply put, their banter, their charm, the way they complimented one another’s nature created a rock-solid loving union that endured.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Charlotte (Mosely) Cassidy; brothers-in-law, Richard Uzzell, Wayne Hutchinson, David Meyers

Michael is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; son, Ryan Cassidy (Ashley); daughter, Megan Bickford (Brian); grandchildren, Rylan, Moira, Emma, Jax, Maverick; siblings, Catherine Uzzell, Mary Hutchinson, Regina Daniels, Patrick (Laurie) Cassidy, Elizabeth Meyers, Kevin (Emma Jo) Cassidy

"Check 6"

In lieu of flowers please donate to a cause that Mike worked with for many years: Friends of John Paul School DONATE HERE

Visitation: Friday, March 1st, 2024, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Smith Family Mortuary Mulvane Chapel 501 SE Louis Blvd. Mulvane, Kansas 67110. Funeral Service: 10:00 am, Saturday, March 2nd, 2024 at St Michael the Archangel Catholic Church 525 E Main Mulvane, Kansas 67110. Interment to follow at Mulvane Cemetery.