Cassidy Rae Petit

Cassidy Rae Petit, 26, of Oakland, California passed away alongside her fiancé Lochie Ferrier in a plane crash on January 14, 2024.

Cassidy, affectionately known as "CP" to her friends and family, was born in Biddeford, Maine precisely on her due date, May 27, 1997. From the start it was clear she couldn't wait to start tackling the world. She is the daughter of Kim (Vermette) Petit and Peter Petit. During her upbringing in Maine, Cassidy spent summers at Hills Beach and on the Saco River where she had many adventures with her brother Curtis, family and friends. She had a true love and appreciation for nature and outdoor activities, including skiing, skating, surfing and hiking. She aspired to hike all 48 4000' mountains in New Hampshire.

She was educated in the Biddeford school system and graduated from Biddeford High School, class of 2015. She was always a leader amongst her peers, serving as captain of the hockey team and class officer, along with other accomplishments.

Cassidy furthered her education at the University of Vermont in Burlington, majoring in Psychology and Neuroscience and graduated in 2019. It was at UVM that her adventurous, free-spirited and curious personality allowed her to develop into the creative and brave leader that she was. She interned at Lund Family Center, where she supported and advocated for women and families struggling with poverty, addiction, and abuse. This ignited her passion for women's health and equity.

Cassidy's get-it-done attitude, self-directed work ethic, business savvy, and genuine curiosity didn't go unnoticed in the community she created in Burlington. Her part-time gig at the local surf shop, WND&WVS, during her undergraduate days quickly turned into a career path when she was invited by the owner to work on a new project. Cassidy became a founding member of Hula and The Fund at Hula and over the course of several years helped transform the business incubator and venture capital fund into a thriving hub in Burlington. During this time, her career flourished; she co-founded Burlington Bio, a start up company in the cellular agriculture space and became a board member at Working Fields.

Cassidy found community and created relationships wherever she went, fostering loyal and strong connections with people in all corners of life. While living in Burlington, she met her fiancé Lochie Ferrier, who was a pilot. The two fell in love and enjoyed traveling together in a way Cassidy had always dreamed of.

They moved to Oakland, CA in February 2023 to pursue new career opportunities and it was there that Cassidy became an Analyst for venture capital firm RH Capital, with a mission to invest in companies that drive innovation, access, and equity across reproductive and maternal health; a cause near and dear to her heart.

Cassidy, Lochie and her beloved dog Kane spent time exploring their new home on the west coast hiking, camping, skiing, biking, surfing and flying. On September 27th 2023, while kayaking in Mexico, Lochie got down on one knee and proposed to Cassidy. They planned to be married in Kauai, Hawaii at sunrise on January 28th, 2024 at 7:15 AM. In true Cassidy fashion, her plan was to surf in her wedding gown following the ceremony; a testament to her fiery spirit and love for once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

She is predeceased by her grandparents: Normand Vermette of Biddeford, Frank Finegan of Rhode Island, Marie and Raymond Petit of Biddeford.

She leaves behind a completely heartbroken family: her parents Kim and Peter Petit, brother Curtis Petit and his girlfriend Chanelle Chretien, grandmother Paula Vermette, aunts and uncles Kristy and Scott Lavallee, Michael and Lisa Petit, Raymond and Brenda Petit, Debi and Dennis Lagasse; cousins Kylie and Jenna Lavallee, Cameron and Colin Petit, Cody and Caden Petit, Kris, Karl and Kaitlin Lagasse, in addition to many other extended family throughout New England.

A shared Celebration of Life will be held for Cassidy and Lochie on January 28th, 2024 at Hula, located at 50 Lakeside Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401. More details forthcoming.

Cassidy's Legacy

Vermont Community Foundation has partnered with Cassidy's family to host "CP's Fund", a donor-advised fund to support the organization's and causes closest to CP's heart. Gifts of any size can be made to CP's Fund at www.vermontcf.org/cpfund or in consultation with Martha Trombley Oakes, Director of Philanthropy (mtrombleyoakes@vermontcf.org / 802-388-3355 ext. 225).