Germaine Cassell

Germaine Cassell worked at the Church of Saint Mary for 15 years as an Annex secretary and was a parishioner at Saint Mary for 36 years.

I met Germaine nearly three years ago when I started working at the parish. To me, she was the kind of woman who made people feel safe talking in groups- because she listened, nodded and cared about whatever you had to say. She patted me on the back often and I felt loved by her. My husband Ryan and I loved to run into her and Melvin. They were so joyful and kind; we always walked away happy, their joy multiplied in us.

Melvin met Germaine on the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean through his sister who was Germaine's best friend. They began talking, then eventually dated. "Before I left for college in New York, we went to the church, we held hands over the Bible," says Melvin, "and I promised I would return. And I did." They were married 40 years. 

I asked Melvin to talk more about their love that was always so apparent. "You should become so close that you can look in one another's eyes and read a message without needing a word," he says. "That is how special and close we became."

Melvin and Germaine ended up in Tulsa for Melvin's career. They had two sons, Andrew and Jason, who Melvin says love her dearly. She eventually earned a degree from St. Gregory's in Human Development.

"She was a very special person in my life. A lot of people love her," Melvin told me. "That is because of that beautiful, attractive smile and her outgoing personality, but you can ask them (others) that, they will tell you." 

This is so true, Melvin. Her friends at the parish have told endless lovely stories about Germaine these past few days. She will be greatly missed.

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Ashley Daly

Communications and Development Director