Frederick Kemp Lasswell

Frederick "Fred" Kemp Lasswell, 97, of Flat Rock passed away peacefully on August 28, 2025. He was born on May 17, 1928, in Terre Haute, IN and grew up in Dayton, OH. He graduated from Case Institute of Technology with a degree in Mechanical (Aeronautical) Engineering in 1950, after which he married his first wife, Mary Winfield Durbin, and moved to Fort Worth, TX to work on the B-36 and B-58 aircraft programs.

Fred was a proud veteran, serving as a lieutenant in the Combat Engineers at Fort Leonard Wood during the Korean War. After his military service, he and Mary moved to the East Coast where they started their family. They later settled in Waupaca, WI where they raised their five children and where he shared his talents as a licensed professional engineer and recognized industry expert with organizations such as Waupaca Foundry Inc., Waupaca Elevator Company, the Waupaca area Red Cross, St. Mark's Episcopal Church Vestry, the Waupaca Airport Board, and many others. After retiring in 1995, Fred moved to Flat Rock, NC with his partner Anna Christenson into a mountain home of their own design. He celebrated his marriage to his beloved Anna in 2022 in an intimate ceremony filled with the love of family and friends.

Fred was a stalwart presence to those who knew him. He was intelligent and curious, with strong convictions but an ever-open mind to new concepts and opinions. He loved to learn and never outgrew his penchant for taking things apart to understand how they worked. He enjoyed hunting and fishing and always had a great appreciation for the beauty of the outdoors. He valued his faith and the church communities in which he actively participated. He made friends wherever he went, both human and animal; Fred had many pets throughout his life who were treasured companions and family members. Fred loved to play cribbage and took great pride in teaching his children and grandchildren the game, leaving a warm legacy of fair play, humor, and good-natured competition his family cherishes.

Fred is survived by his wife, Anna Christenson; his children John (Ruth) Lasswell, Katherine Bowden, Mary Alice Lasswell, Martha (Mark) Landry, and Patricia (Robert) Edwards; his stepchildren Erica (Charles) VanDamme, Sarah (Eric) Ponto, and John Christenson; and his eleven grandchildren. Passing previously were his first wife Mary; his parents E. Kemp Lasswell and Martha Wimer Lasswell; and his sister Patricia.

A celebration of Fred's life will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, October 16, 2025 at St. John in the Wilderness.