Sidney Cassese

SIDNEY STANFORD MCNATT CASSESE

Sidney Stanford McNatt Cassese, 83, a resident of Lehigh Acres for 7 years, formerly of Uniondale, NY, passed away Friday, February 10, 2023 in Fort Myers, FL.  He was born February 27, 1939 in Harlem, NY to Hattie McNatt Cassese, now deceased. 

Sid, a proud native New Yorker, spent his formative years in Brooklyn, NY before moving to Buffalo NY during his teenage years.  He began his working career with computers doing COBOL-writing programs before being hired by Richmond (Virginia) Times- Dispatch.  Sid had the opportunity to attend Law School at the University of Richmond but he would have to leave the Times-Dispatch, which he would forego realizing that his heart was in journalism.  He was then hired as a staff writer by Newsday in 1974.  While at Newsday he received a prestigious Lucius W. Nieman Fellowship to Harvard in 1978 where he spent a year studying the workings of government and had the opportunity to travel to Japan.  Afterward he would tell Black Enterprise magazine “I came back more than ever wanting to be a producer of top notch material”.  Sid remained at Newsday for 42 years until his retirement in 2016.  Sid will be remembered by his gruff voice, great stories, professionalism, easy charm, hard-earned street smarts, a lover of jazz and fashion, and a consummate reporter.  An amazing man who worked his way from Harlem to Harvard, who loved and always supported his family. 

He is survived by one granddaughter, Latisha (George) Johnson of Blythewood, SC as well as two great grandchildren Josiah and Jordan, and a host of family and friends.

Sidney was preceded in death not only by his parents but by his son, Darrel Stewart, and loving partner, Ruby Boykin.

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