Johanne Petronella Lassaline

Johanne Petronella Lassaline, age 92, passed away peacefully in Centennial, Colorado on August 3, 2024. The second of five children, she was born on October 31, 1931, in Detroit, Michigan to Fred and Anne Vermeersch.

Johanne was the beloved wife of the late William Lassaline; loving mother of Bill (the late Bernadette) Lassaline, Patty Lassaline, Mary Lassaline, and Jennifer Slaughter; dear grandmother of Peter (Pierette Kulpa) Lassaline, Anne Marie (Greg) Shaw, Michelle (Nate Clark) Lassaline, Beau Eikam, Katie Eikam, JP Eikam, Sasha Utter, Katya Utter, Haley Slaughter, Kaitlyn Slaughter, and Ben Slaughter; and great grandmother of Gracie and Walker Shaw. Johanne is survived by her brother Fred (Kay) Vermeersch, her sister Katherine Vermeersch, and sisters-in-law, Donna (the late Tom) Lassaline and Mary Ann (the late Larry) Lassaline. Johanne was predeceased by her husband William; her parents, Fred and Anne Vermeersch; her sister and brothers-in-law, Mary Anne Hallen and Jerry Hallen and Bob Modjeska; and her sister and brother-in-law, Margee and Glenn Ruggles.

Johanne grew up in Berkeley, Michigan. In 1949, she graduated from Shrine of the Little Flower High School in Royal Oak, Michigan. In 1953, she graduated from the University of Detroit. Her favorite subject was math—she was one of the few women in her calculus classes. On June 16, 1956, she married William Lassaline. After college she taught first grade in Detroit, was a board member at St. Maurice Elementary School, and later taught preschool in Livonia. She loved children and teaching. Her grandkids all remember the hours sitting with Gramma reading books.

She enjoyed sudoku puzzles, gardening, boating, fishing, watching Jeopardy, golfing, eating chocolate, ice skating, and sewing. She sewed many of her own and her children’s clothes. She loved to play cards and board games. Her favorites were Gin Rummy, Cribbage, and Bridge. A special place was her parents' home on Elk Lake near Traverse City, Michigan. She spent time there each summer with her husband and children. She loved time at the beach, going for walks, playing Crazy Rummy, and especially eating strawberry and whip cream sandwiches. On occasion, during her college years, you could find her on a plywood “surf” board being towed behind her father's Chris-Craft. She enjoyed travel, especially visiting her children as they moved around the country. She spent time with them in Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Arizona, Nevada, California, and Colorado. At 83 she left her home of more than 50 years to brave life in California and Colorado to be with her kids and grandkids.

Wherever she was, she’d never met a stranger—everyone knew Mom. Over the years she was affectionally called Jo by her father and known as Joni by many others.

Johanne’s life will be celebrated with a Mass at 10:30 A.M. on Thursday, September 5, 2024, at St. Colette Catholic Church, 17600 Newburgh Rd., Livonia, Michigan 48152. Final viewing will be at the church beginning 10:00 A.M. Johanne will be laid to rest in Parkview Memorial Cemetery in Livonia.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations in memory of Johanne Lassaline to the Dementia Society of America