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Thomas Assiff Obituary
Dr. Thomas C. Assiff passed away at home on Friday, April 3. Tom, the son of the late John and Juanita Baxter Assiff, was born in Lansing, Michigan.
He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Marilyn White Assiff. He was the brother of John Alan Assiff and the late Mary Assiff Lindsay; brother-in-law of Anne Assiff and Thomas Lindsay II; nephew of Theda Assiff and Floyd Skinner; uncle of Amanda (Jason) Haskell, Jennifer Lindsay, Thomas Lindsay III, great niece Avelia Maria Silva, and several cousins. He was much loved by his in-laws in the White family.
A graduate of Lansing Sexton High School, he continued his education at Michigan State University where he earned a B.S. degree in mathematics and M.S. degrees in mathematics and mechanical engineering. Later he was awarded a Ph.D. degree in applied mathematics from Michigan State University. During his university years, Tom taught mathematics at Michigan State University and Lansing Community College.
He relocated to the Greater Detroit Area when he began employment with General Motors, an association that continued throughout the rest of his life as he worked with General Motors accounts. He was the product release consultant for GM as the company transitioned from EDS to Unigraphics Solutions and finally to Siemens PLM, where he most recently held the position of technical software engineer consultant. In spite of severe challenges from autoimmune diseases, Tom's work remained of utmost importance to him. He continued working productively until his death.
Although Tom's main interest was computers, he was an avid Michigan State University sports fan and an accomplished table tennis player. He was a designer and tinkerer known among family and friends for his clever homemade inventions. Also, everyone delighted in his writings, including both whimsical and thoughtful poetry. He will be missed not only for his kind and humble nature but also for his wise and logical counsel. He was a joy to know.
Memorial Service at St. Paul's Episcopal Church Chapel, 218 W. Ottawa, Lansing, MI 48933 on Friday, April 24, 2015 at 1:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, 22100 Gratiot Ave., Eastpointe, MI 48021; the Scleroderma Foundation - Michigan Chapter, 23999 Telegraph Rd., Southfield, MI 48033 or a charity of the donor's choice.
Light a candle and share a memory at www.verheyden.org.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Thomas Assiff
5 Entries
Joe Gravina
May 12, 2015
I wish I had known Tom a bit better but when I met up with him in the classroom or in the hallways at Sexton we always stopped to say "Hello". He was a very nice person and I feel sad that we had no way of connecting since High School until now. I will never forget Tom as a classmate or as a friend.
Marion (Joe) Warren
May 11, 2015
I just became aware of this. So sorry to learn of his passing. We weren't close friends, but I knew him as a classmate and a good friend of another Sextonite, Art Bell. Always a smile. RIP Tom.
Terry Lutz
April 23, 2015
I have so many good memories of Tom when we were young boys and just growing up. Our summers were filled with simple things like collecting pennies, making clever devices to watch a solar eclipse, watching Echo I trace an orbit across the night sky, or just riding our bikes around the neighborhood. His Dad was always tinkering with electrical things, so it is no surprise that Tom liked to do that, too. We used to ride our bikes to West Junior High School every day, and when I stopped by for Tom to join us, he was typically having a few spoonfulls of ice cream for breakfast. He was a brilliant mathematician, and my regret in life is that I never had the chance to say hello again after we chose our separate paths in life.
Dr. Gregory Mann
April 23, 2015
Will always remember the wonderful times we shared during our high school years. R.I.P. my friend and classmate!
Dr. Gregory Mann
April 23, 2015
Graduated with Tom from Sexton High. He was a true character in the Band's Trumpet section. Have a flood of great memories of those days in our lives. Rest in peace my friend!
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