After headlines of real estate woes – foreclosures, repossessions, expulsions etc. ….it’s great to have a ‘happy-home- sale-ending’ to report.  Dr. William G. Cassel’s home on Ridgeway Road was purchased before it really got on the market!

Bill had moved to Stanford, CT. several months ago to be near his daughter, Cathy Talmedge, and closer to his daughters, Polly & Marty who live in Massachusetts. (Round Town visited Bill in CT. in Feb. and reported on same.)  So, the problem of selling, closing, and emptying Bill’s house had to be faced.  The four sisters, Beth Cassel lives in California, have ‘subsidized’ the airline industry for the past months – and as-we-write – they’re all in Oakwood along with their Father.

Last Saturday the girls invited all of their Dad’s old, old friends to a ‘farewell-to-the-house’ party in the late afternoon. There were two who’d known Bill since Longfellow Grade School days – Charles Schommer and Phyllis Fraser.  The Fairview Class of ’44 had five – by adding Phil Barnheiser and Roger Lynn.  Fairview ’45 had Mary Briggs Schommer – and the Class of ’46 was represented by Betty Barnheiser.  

Vi & Dr. Bill Messick came down from Columbus. The two couples had been together as ‘Residents’ at Ohio State – and later did their ‘Specialties’ together at The Mayo Clinic in MN. Dr. Ludolph Van Der Hooven was there. Bill’s sister Mary Ellen and husband Bill Case came.  Peg Wilson was there.  Her late husband, Dr. Joe, was a partner of Bill’s and of his Father, Dr. Homer Cassel. Next-door-neighbors, Barbara & John Rion, certainly added to the group.  Bob Roth attended. Alas, Bill’s across-the-street-neighbors, Kathy & Phil Morris, who’ve been so supportive of Bill, were out of town for the Easter holidays.  They were indeed missed.

At six thirty the party was invited to proceed to Dayton Country Club for dinner. The Club was ‘rock’in’ with a large wedding…rose petals covered the front steps…the music was great!  The Cassel’s twenty-three guests were seated in the Patterson Room (the ‘old dining room’ to you old, old members). Three large tables sent the sound-decibels through the roof.

So, ‘who bought the Cassel House?’ Several phone calls on Sunday morning solved the mystery. “It’s Dorothy Creager Cummings’  daughter – Jessica Creager Urteaga! Jessica married a Peruvian and has been living there, but wants her daughters to graduate from OHS. Jessica was in the Class of ’78 at Oakwood High School. She and her husband have two daughters – ages sixteen & twelve – who are now attending OHS. They’ve looked at every house that’s for sale in Oakwood (and there’s lots of ‘em) – meanwhile they’ve been living with Dot on Wisteria. The Urteaga family will spend the summer months in Peru and the school year in Oakwood.        

The Urteaga’s are the third owners of the house that was built by John McBride – it’s where Sally McBride Solarek was raised.

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