RC Lasater

1931 - 2016

RC LASATER 12/5/1931 - 7/19/2016 "The shell is here but the nut is gone" RC Lasater passed away at the age of 84 on July 19, 2016. RC was born December 5, 1931 in Riverside California he was a graduate of Riverside Poly High School class of 1949. Following graduation from high school RC enlisted in the Army in September 1949 his military duties took him to Fort Ord California, Camp Stoneman, California where he was trained as a stevedore, and Kobe, Japan. While in Japan, his duties were aiding the loading and unloading of cargo from ships. In August 1950 he was involved in operation flush out where personnel from the base in Kobe, Japan were sent to infantry units in Korea. RC was assigned to the Seventh Cavalry Regiment of the First Cavalry division as a rifleman. RC was the recipient of the Combat Infantry Badge, two Purple Hearts, and the Bronze Star for valor. RC rotated from Korea back to the United States in May of 1951. He was assigned to Camp Roberts California and was discharged from the Army in October 1952. RC worked as a laborer in Twentynine Palms during the construction of the Marine base from November 1952 to March 1953. RC joined the structural ironworkers local 433 as an apprentice and was employed initially by Soule Steel. Spring semester of 1954 RC attended RCC with the goal of becoming a physical therapist. RC continued to belong to ironworkers local 433 and worked as an iron worker during his summer vacations. August 1955 RC and Nancy Schirmer were married. Fall semester of 1956 RC attended UCLA and graduated in 1958 with a BA in physical education. RC was accepted to the Children's Hospital School of Physical Therapy. At this time he took an honorable withdrawal from the ironworkers local 433 as a journeyman ironworker. RC graduated from Children's Hospital School of Physical Therapy in November 1959. He was employed at the Long Beach Veteran's Hospital for three years. Started working at Riverside General Hospital in 1963 as the supervising physical therapist retiring in May of 1994. RC enjoyed many activities. He was very proud and honored to have served as president of the Riverside YMCA. RC was also involved in YMCA Camp Lackey and the YMCA Indian Guide program. RC was a longtime member of the Kiwanis Club of Uptown Riverside. RC first became licensed as an amateur ham radio operator in 1989, as N6WGO and has been a member of the Riverside radio amateur club since that time. RC and Nancy enjoyed the hobby of growing Epiphyllum's. RC also served as president of the Epiphyllum Society of America for three years. RC and Nancy enjoyed traveling by automobile. They drove across the United States four different times and visited every state in the union. They also traveled a great deal by automobile in Canada. Family vacations were spent in the Eastern High Sierras at June Lake and at Mammoth Lakes California fishing the lakes in the area. RC was preceded in death by his wife Nancy and his parents Roy & Roena Lasater, older brother Cecil Turner and his two sisters Claudine Kenyon and Irene Lasater. He is survived by children Mary, Don and his wife Danette, Jeff and his wife Dana, as well as four grandchildren Ashley, Jacob and his wife Kaitlin, Kelli, and Stephanie, as well as many nieces and nephews. RC is also survived by Roman Warren, Robert Anderson of Riverside California as well as Max Coleman, Eldy White of Prescott Arizona, and Paul Funkhouser of Wahiawa HI, who he considered as brothers from another mother In lieu of flowers RC requested that any donations be directed to King High School Remembers (Veterans Program) in c/o John Corona, Program Coordinator at Martin Luther King High School, 9301 Wood Rd., Riverside, CA 92508. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, July 30th at 11:00AM at the First United Methodist Church, 4845 Brockton Ave. Riverside. A reception will be held afterwards. Private interment will be held at the Riverside National Cemetery.