Don Edmond Lasseter Sr.

1942 - 2024

Don Edmond Lasseter, Sr. passed away peacefully at home on May 22, 2024.

He was born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on April 14,1942, living in nearby Purvis until he was ten, when the family moved to Jackson, Mississippi.

Summers were spent working at his granddaddy's farm, where he and his family picked watermelons and cotton. During his childhood, he started his first job as a paper boy, laying the foundation for his hard-working nature and drive.

As Don came into his teenage years, the paper route was replaced by a job as a car hop at a small convenient store, followed by a stint at the drug store next door.

When he wasn't working, the sports-minded teen was making his mark as a star baseball player. By the time he was twelve, he had made the all-star team in the Revell Hardware Company Little League, a talent which would see him trying out with the St. Louis Cardinals some years later.

By the time Don was seventeen, he had enough credits at Provine High School to attend Hinds Junior College. Following this, Don attended Howard College School of Pharmacy (known today as Samford University).

A testament to his fortitude and conscientiousness, Don would work some sixty hours a week, in addition to attending classes, graduating in 1964. While at Howard College, Don met and married Carol Reynolds, and they had two children, son, Don Jr. and daughter, Steele.

It was the early sixties, and the Civil Rights Movement was in full swing. When the local Jasper radio station asked Don to report on the protests while he was in Birmingham, he accepted the assignment, putting him at the forefront of the movement. As a reporter, Don found himself in the middle of the marches and rallies. The experience was punctuated by one very special moment in time, when Don met the legendary Martin Luther King Jr., who invited him to spend the day with him at a rally, where the young reporter had a front row seat.

After graduation, the family moved to Tuscaloosa. Don bought his first drugstore at the age of twenty-three. His drugstore's soda fountain became a mainstay of the community, drawing in customers such as Bear Bryant, Joe Namath, and Kenny Stabler, who later became Don's golfing buddies.

Some three years later, anxious to grow his career, Don closed the store, and along with his family, moved first to Jackson, Mississippi, and then to Fulton, Mississippi.

In 1970, he was hired as a pharmacist at a Super D Drug store in Jackson, Tennessee. Within six months, he was promoted to district manager. In 1972, he was promoted again to the position of Vice President of Store Operations in Memphis, Tennessee.

In 1977, he took on the role of President of Sommers Drugs in San Antonio, Texas, a drug store chain owned by Malone & Hyde.

That move prompted his return to Memphis in 1980 as President of Malone & Hyde Drugs, Inc, a group of drug stores comprised of three different chains: Super D Drugs, Sommers Drugs, and Petty Drugs: a total of one hundred-and-sixty-five stores in seven states.

In 1985, he became the Executive Vice President of Wholesale Foods of Malone & Hyde, Inc. In this role, he was responsible for all seven wholesale grocery distribution centers owned by Malone & Hyde, as well as M&H Drug Distributors, Quality Stamps, M&H Dairies, M&H Drug Stores, all Malone & Hyde owned supermarkets (Mega-Markets, Giant Foods, Pic Pac Groceries), and Piggy Wiggly Corporation. He was responsible for 17,000 employees.

In 1988, Don led a management buyout team to purchase Super D Drugs from the Flemming Corporation after their acquisition of Malone & Hyde, Inc. He became Chairman, President, and CEO of the retail chain, consisting of one hundred-and-three drug stores and three Ike's stores.

In 1990, Don married Jennifer Anderson, and retired from Super D in 1991. In 1992, he partnered with L.R. Jalenak to open three Party City stores in Memphis. His sights set on expanding the brand, Don bought Jalenak out the following year, brought Don Jr into the business with him, and opened an additional three stores in Texas. During this time, Don and Jennifer's family was also expanding, with the birth of their daughter, Lauren Lasseter.

His was a life well-lived. In his personal life, Don enjoyed taking part in the sporting events he loved, both as a spectator and participant. Super Bowls and Sugar Bowls, PGA and LPGA events were all in the mix. Among the most memorable was the 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, where he watched the US hockey team defeat Russia. He also attended the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. His favorite team was the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!).

While he was a passionate fan, he was also a formidable player on the golf course, with memberships at Colonial Country Club, Old Waverly, Dominion Country Club, and TPC at Southwind, where, as one of its first members, he played in the opening round of golf on April 5, 1988. Over the course of the next twenty-plus years, he would co-chair a men's golf group at Southwind, enjoying the camaraderie and ensuing friendships for decades.

Don was also a participant in several FedEx St. Jude Pro-Ams, with his pairing with Payne Stewart being a highlight. In 1990, Don would go on to win the Johnny Bench Hall of Famers Pro-Am and be named Player of Year in 2005 at Southwind. He was thrilled to make his first hole-in-one on number 11 at Southwind on September 30, 2014.

It was his love of the game that took him to courses in the most scenic destinations: Palm Beach, Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Pebble Beach, Hawaii, Hilton Head, Sawgrass, he played them all, along with his favorite, Augusta, where he played four times. Not only was Don a sports enthusiast, but he also had a great love of music. Elvis Presley was his favorite singer, and Don enjoyed singing the entertainer's songs whenever and wherever, be it locally at Folks Folly, on cruise ships, private gatherings, or really any place with a microphone. His signature song was "Can't Help Falling in Love" by Elvis, which he loved singing to his wife, Jennifer. Don loved Memphis, and the people, places, organizations, and events in the community. He taught judo with his brother during his early years in Memphis. He was a member of the Grand Krewe of Luxor of Carnival Memphis, serving in multiple roles including Duke, Regent, General Chairman, and King. He was a member of Second Presbyterian Church. He was a member of TPC @ Southwind for thirty-six years.

Fun times were had with his loved ones. He loved Halloween and everything that went along with it, known for having the best decorated home in Southwind, and interacting with customers in search of that special Halloween something at the local Party City. He shared a love of the Harry Potter books and films with his children and grandchildren, dressing up with his family for movie premieres. He enjoyed spending time with his friends and family attending Memphis Tiger basketball games and Ole Miss football games.

Looking back over his life, one cannot help but stand in awe. Don's accomplishments in his career were many, and the breadth of his experiences beyond compare. He was a sweet, considerate and generous man. He never met a stranger and was always happy to see people, showing off his infectious smile that made people feel loved. He had a deep care and love for his family and was very proud of them. He was truly one-of-a-kind, and he will be dearly missed by all.

Preceded in death by his parents W.G. Lasseter and Esther Dyar Lasseter, and his brother Mike Lasseter, Don is survived by his loving wife of thirty-four years, Jennifer Lasseter, his children, Don E. Lasseter Jr. (Stacy), Steele Lasseter Belina (Charles), and Lauren Lasseter McAllister (Gene), and his six grandchildren, Morgan Lasseter Newell (Will), Jordon Lasseter Knowles (Marshall), Kenneth Balkunas, Sydney Balkunas, Luke Lasseter, and London Lasseter.

He is also survived by his sister, Sharon Lasseter Couch, his uncle, Max Dyar, and his aunts, Arnice Dyar Sasaki and Jackie Dyar Platt.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the TPC at Southwind clubhouse on Saturday, June 22, 2024, with visitation at 1pm and a service at 2pm.