Edward Murray Cassidy Jr.

Ed was the son of the late Pearl and Edward M. Cassidy, Sr. and brother to Sandra Smiley (William), John Cassidy (Marcella), and the late Robert Cassidy. He was also a beloved uncle to many nieces and nephews who shared in a lifetime of family memories.

For sixty-seven years, Ed shared his life with his wife, Elizabeth Cassidy. What started with the two of them grew into something pretty remarkable: four children, Deborah Mason (Kenneth), Sean Cassidy (Donna), Daniel Cassidy (Kimberly), and Colleen Schlipf (Bo). Then, their family grew to include fifteen grandchildren and eventually fifteen great-grandchildren.

To all of them, he was King Pop.

There was nothing Pop loved more than having his family around him. Give him a house full of people, kids in the pool, plenty of food, cold drinks, and a game on TV, and he had everything he needed. He was content just sitting back and taking it all in. The bigger and louder the family became, the better.

He was a man who loved sports, especially his Philadelphia Phillies and Eagles. He loved his 70s music, Crown Royal, sweet treats, and escaping the Pennsylvania cold to spend the winter months in Florida with his wife.

Ed proudly served his country in the United States Army and worked in construction before taking a leap of faith and opening a bar at forty years old. That same love for a full room was part of Ed’s life at the Casmar, the well-known Conshohocken bar he and Liz owned for thirty-five years. Like so much of the life they built over sixty-seven years, it was never Ed’s story alone. Liz was beside him through the long days and nights, keeping things running and playing an essential part of what the Casmar became. The Casmar was never just a business to them. It became a home away from home for many Conshy natives. It was a place to gather, share a drink, catch up, and know there would probably be someone there you knew. Ed was at the center of it for decades, building friendships and becoming a familiar part of the community.

Ed was a tough-love kind of guy. He had no problem telling you exactly what he thought, whether you asked or not, and you rarely had to wonder where you stood with him. But underneath all of that toughness was a tremendous amount of love. Those who knew him knew just how deeply that love ran, even when he didn’t always say it out loud.

Ed leaves behind a family that stretches across four generations, a family that will continue to gather, laugh, eat, drink, argue, tell stories, and make memories together. His absence will be felt in those moments, in a way that only comes from losing someone who was always there.

The chair may be empty, but King Pop's place at the center of his family never will be.