• Courtesy
• Cassidy "CP" Petit

Cassidy Rae Petit, 26, of Oakland, Calif., passed away alongside her fiancé, Lochie Ferrier, 27, 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 tackle the world.

She is the daughter of Kim (Vermette) Petit and Peter Petit, of Biddeford, Maine. Cassidy spent summers as a child at Hills Beach and on the Saco River, adventuring 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 four-thousand-foot 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 among her peers, serving as captain of the hockey team and a class officer, along with other accomplishments.

Cassidy furthered her education at the University of Vermont in Burlington, where she majored 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 the local nonprofit Lund, supporting and advocating for women and families experiencing poverty, substance use 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 Burlington community. 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. During this time, her career flourished; she cofounded Burlington Bio, a startup company in the cellular agriculture space and became a benefit director and 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 California in February 2023 to pursue new career opportunities, and it was there that Cassidy became an analyst for venture capital firm RH Capital. Working to drive innovation, access, and equity across reproductive and maternal health — it was 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 27, 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 28, 2024, at 7:15 a.m.

In true Cassidy fashion, she planned to surf in her wedding gown following the ceremony, a testament to her fiery spirit and love for once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

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

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

A shared service will be held for Cassidy and Lochie on January 28, 10:00 a.m., at Hula, 50 Lakeside Ave., Burlington, VT 05401.

Guests are invited to join a celebration of life immediately following the service at Beta Technologies, located at 1150 Airport Dr., So. Burlington, VT 05403.

Cassidy’s Legacy: The Vermont Community Foundation has partnered with Cassidy’s family to host “CP’s Fund,” a donor-advised fund to support organizations and causes closest to CP’s heart. Gifts of any size can be made to CP’s Fund or in consultation with Martha Trombley Oakes, director of philanthropy ([email protected], 802-388-3355 ext. 225).