Thomas Lasseter

Thomas McKnight Lasseter Tom Lasseter, 85, of Austin, passed away Thursday, March 10, 2011. Born Jan. 19, 1926 in Knox City, Texas, he is an eleventh generation descendant of Thomas Leister, who came from England to Jamestown, VA in 1620, and a fourth generation Texan, his great grandparents settling in East Texas in 1851. Tom grew up in small town Texas where he participated in all sports. His parents William Ernest and Alma Ann Lasseter, both school teachers, and brother Bill, retired Airline Captain, proceeded Tom in death. He is survived by wife of 57 years, Peggy, daughter Carrie, son Mitch and wife Belinda, grandsons Aaron, Ben, and Josh, granddaughter Brooke, brother Bob and wife Carol of Austin, sister Ann Strong and husband Bob of Henley, three nieces and three nephews. Tom was a retired Navy Lt. Commander. He joined the Navy 22 May 1943 two days before graduating from Mexia High School and entered the Navy V-12 program at Rice University. He was commissioned an Ensign from Midshipman School at Notre Dame on March 8, 1945, as one the youngest officers in the Navy at age 19 yrs 1 1/2 months. and was assigned to USS John C. Butler (DE 339) in the Pacific as Anti-Submarine Warfare Officer. After WWII, he re-entered Rice University and received a BA degree in 1949 and a BS in Architecture in 1950. When the Korean War broke out, he again volunteered for active duty in Sept 1950 and served aboard USS Hank (DD 702) in Korea and USS Shenandoah (AD 26) in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Fleet. He was awarded twelve service medals with four battle stars. Prior to Navy retirement, he served 7 years as Instructor and 5 years as Commanding Officer of Naval Reserve Officer's School. He is an Admiral in the Texas Navy. He is a member of VFW Post 3377, and the Navy League of the United States, where he served 2 years as President of the Greater Austin Council and was twice presented the Certificate of Honor, the highest award a Council can give. Returning from the Navy in 1952, Tom moved to Austin to further his education at the Univ. of Texas. He began work as an Architect Jan. 1953 and was with the firms of Niggli and Gustafson, Page Southerland and Page, and Fehr and Granger, before joining Lundgren and Maurer in 1960 where he was involved in the design and construction of over 250 motels/hotels in 35 states, Mexico, Belize, and Panama. He had his own practice as Lasseter Associates Architects from 1974 until his retirement in 1986, after thirty-three years of professional service. He is a past member of the American Institute of Architects, Austin Chapter, was certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, and was President of the Austin Chapter of the Construction Specifications Institute, 1979-80. He was active in Community Affairs. He served on the Board of Directors of the Austin Jaycees and was Jaycee of the Month, Sept. 1955. He served on the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Austin from 1966-75 serving two terms as President. He was Federation Chief of the YMCA's Indian Guide Program in 1968. Tom was General Chairman of Austin Upturn, a two day symposium in 1980 on the revitalization of Downtown Austin. He served four years on the Board of Directors of the Shady Hollow Homeowner's Assoc. and was Vice President 1993. Tom was the first charter member of the Kiwanis Club of Greater South Austin in 1974. In 1990 he organized the Shady Hollow Kiwanis Club. He was a past Distinguished Club Secretary, a four time Distinguished Club President, a Distinguished Lt. Governor, a member of the Legion of Honor with 35 years of perfect attendance, a George F. Hixon Fellow, a Tablet of Honor member, a member of the Heritage Society and the International President's Advisory Council. Tom was an active golfer. He was a member of Onion Creek Club for 26 years. A 3 handicapper, he had 5 holes-in-one, 2 within 3 months at age 73, and shot his age for 11 consecutive years, the first time at age 66. Tom was a true Texan and Patriot. He did what he could for his country, his family, and his community. He is a member of the Kinney Avenue Christian Fellowship Church. Visitation will be at the Harrell Funeral Home, 4435 Frontier Trail on Sunday, March 13, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Memorial services and burial with full Military Honors will be at the Central Texas State Veteran's Cemetery, 11463 State Highway 195, Killeen, Texas on Friday, March 18, 2011 at 1:00 p.m.. Honorary pallbearers are Aaron Gebbert, Ben Gebbert, Josh Lasseter, Bobby Lasseter, Mark Peppard and Charles Crouchet.