By Rebecca Arcure
Cassie Sheetz was 25 when she went hiking with a group of friends in the Spruce Knob area on March 11, 2021. A year later her family and friends gathered at the top of Spruce Knob to celebrate her life and have a memorial service for her.
The small but beautiful service took place on March 19 at 7 p.m. The family lit candles and displayed photos of her on a table. They stood in a circle and told of the memories they had of her and said they wished that she could be here with them.
In an interview, Sheetz’ mother, Arlene Howard, said remains found in the area of the Monongahela National Forest near Seneca Creek, 11 miles from the area where Sheetz was last seen, were believed to have been Sheetz. However, autopsy results and the medical examiner could not confirm that the remains were in fact Sheetz. The results could take up to 2 or 3 months to confirm.
Sheetz’ sister, Tabitha Black, sang a song in remembrance of her that the two sang together in a talent show when they were children. The song was “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry. Another song named “Drowning” was played by Chris Young.
Howard stated she was still waiting for answers and a positive ID or a cause of death. She said these times have been hard on her family and she is thankful for the love and support the community has given her and her family. She misses her daughter every day and hopes to be able to lay her to rest someday. Her mother hopes to keep her memory alive and said she give updates as she finds out new information.
