John M. Grasse

Dr. John M. Grasse, Jr., 97, of Lansdale, PA; formerly of Harleysville, PA passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at Dock Terrace. He was the beloved husband of the late Betty (Stover) Grasse for 61 cherished years. Born in Chalfont, PA, John was the son of the late John M. Grasse, Sr. and Blanche (Landis) Grasse. He grew up in Bucks County and graduated from Hilltown Township High School in Blooming Glen. He started Juniata College in 1946, later transferred to Goshen graduating in 1948. He went onto Jefferson Medical College and earned a Medical Doctorate in 1952 Dr. Grasse completed his internship at Montgomery Hospital, Norristown, and pursued multiple residencies including: Surgery at Kanawha Valley Hospital, Charleston, WV, Veteran care at Albuquerque VA Hospital, Albuquerque, NM, and Psychiatry at the Menninger School of Psychiatry, Topeka, KS. He served as a missionary physician through the Mennonite Church in La Platte and Aibonito, Puerto Rico, at Akahaba Abiriba Hospital in Abiriba, Nigeria, and in the General Hospital in Tshikapa, Democratic Republic of Congo. He later maintained a private practice in Calico Rock, Arkansas, and for over 40 years in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, as Dr. John Grasse Family Practice. John also worked with the U.S. Government's Indian Health Service, serving Native American communities in Nevada City, Montana, and North and South Dakota. He was passionate about medical education, teaching psychiatry as an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas in San Antonio, and also instructing at Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA. A man of faith, John was a life member of Blooming Glen Mennonite Church. He believed God calls us to a life of service to others and saw medicine as his way to do that. He was deeply committed to his family and community. He loved gardening, traveling, reading, and music – especially singing in choirs. John will be remembered as a hardworking, compassionate, generous, and sociable man with a great sense of humor. John is survived by his four daughters, Elizabeth Ann Grasse of San Diego, CA, Linda Sue Siemens & husband, Rick of Eagle Point, OR, Sandra Grasse McKeon & husband, Tom of Mcallen, TX, Martha Jane Young & husband, Robert of Rochester, MN; his son, John Michael Aberle-Grasse & wife, Melissa of Atlanta, GA; his 11 grandchildren – Ben, Scott, Emily, Oliver, Andrew, Matthew, Emma, Rebekah, Rae Ann, Elizabeth & Esther; his eight great-grandchildren – Nathan, James, David, Matthew, Gwen, Fallon, Finneas, & Jaxson; and his sister, Ruth Detweiler of Telford, PA. In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by his two sisters, Betty Alderfer & Evelyn Rosenberger and his three brothers-in-law, Robert Alderfer, Mark Rosenberger, & Jay Detweiler. A memorial service will be held on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Blooming Glen Mennonite Church, 713 Blooming Glen Road, Blooming Glen, PA 18911. An informal visitation will follow at 3:00 p.m. Inurnment will take place at the Blooming Glen Mennonite Church Columbarium. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in John's memory may be made to: Mennonite Mission Network, PO Box 370, Elkhart, IN 46515-0370 (https://www.mennonitemission.net/donate/) or Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission, PO Box 744, Goshen, IN 46527-0744 (https://www.aimmint.org/donate1.html). Arrangements are entrusted to: Anders-Detweiler Funeral Home & Crematory, 130 East Broad Street, Souderton, PA 18964. Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.andersfh.com.