John R. Lassen Sr.

John R. Lassen, Sr., our beloved "Papa", husband, father and grandfather, died peacefully at home on Wednesday, December 27th after a wonderful family Christmas. He was 84 years old. John was a second generation native and lifelong resident of the Tempe/Phoenix area. His great grandfather, Dr. John Gregg, was encouraged to move to Hayden's Ferry in the 1870's by Charles Trumball Hayden. John attended Roosevelt grade school, Phoenix Union High School and Phoenix College. He and his life-long dearest friend, Elinor Kenyon, met in high school and were married on February 6, 1943. He served as a radio operator in the U.S. Navy during World War II on the U.S.S. New Mexico in the South Pacific. John and Elinor were blessed with five children during the 40's and 50's while John was operating his farming business in southeast Phoenix. In 1972 he retired from farming and began a 22 year career as Vice President and then President of Salt River Project. He greatly enjoyed the water and electric utility business and the wonderful friendships from that second career. John was President and Board chairman from 1982-1994. John served on many agricultural boards, with the Phoenix Zoo, Future Farmers of America and 4-H organizations for many years. He and his wife helped build and have been life-long members of St. Augustine's Episcopal Church in Tempe. The Lassens have enjoyed travel around the world, often visiting relatives in Denmark. Their retirement years have been full of family baptisms, graduations, birthday parties and weddings with a large and loving family. This wonderful man will be missed terribly by his wife Elinor, his children and their spouses – Susan and John Burger, John Jr. and Bonnie Lassen, Margaret and Ron Walker and Ken and Lesilyn Lassen; by his ten grandchildren, their spouses and his three great grandchildren. His memorial service will be held at St. Augustine's Episcopal Church on College and Broadway in Tempe on Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Lung Association, 102 W. McDowell Road, Phoenix, AZ 85003. Arrangements entrusted to Messinger Indian School Mortuary.