Edward Allen Lassiter

Edward Allen Lassiter, 87, of 2533 Hendersonville Road, Arden, NC passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 13, 2020. Surviving are his beloved wife of 61 years, Dorene Elaine Olson Lassiter, formerly of Rapid City, SD; two daughters, Kathleen E. Wells and her husband, Craig A. Wells; granddaughter Emily M. Anderson and husband Aaron A Anderson; and grandsons James A Wells and Stephen E Wells of Atlanta, GA; Daughter Carole A. Dennis, grandsons Andrew S. Dennis, and Michael P. Dennis of Hickory, NC. Colonel Lassiter was preceded in death by his son, David Allen Lassiter.

Ed Lassiter was born April 7, 1933 in Gates County, NC, 5th of the 7 children of William Herbert and Dolna Harrell Lassiter. Also surviving is one of his three brothers John C. Lassiter and his sisters-in-law Norma Lassiter and Evelyn Lassiter of Sunbury, NC, in addition to several nephews, nieces, and many cousins. In addition to his son David, he was also preceded in death by his three sisters, Mary E. Lassiter, Margaret L. Hires, Dorothy H. Carter, and two of his brothers, Fred R. Lassiter and William H. Lassiter, Jr.

He graduated from Sunbury High School, Sunbury, NC in 1951; from Wake Forest College at Wake Forest, NC 1955 and from Wake Forest School of Law at Winston-Salem in 1957. He was admitted to practice law before the North Carolina Supreme Court, the United States Court of Military Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. He was an Army Judge Advocate, and served 30 years, retiring in 1987.

Military assignments included Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Denver, CO; US Army Europe, Heidelberg, Germany; The Judge Advocate General’s School, Charlottesville, VA, Fort Eustis, VA; US Army, Vietnam; 1st Armored Division, Ft. Hood, TX; Office of the Judge Advocate General, Department of the Army, Washington, DC; 193rd Infantry Brigade, Panama, Canal Zone; Fort Sill, OK; Fort Stewart, GA; and Fort Riley, KS. Military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 4 oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, National Defense Service Medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Vietnam Service Medal and Vietnam Campaign Medal.

After retirement, Colonel and Mrs. Lassiter moved to Charlotte, NC in 1990, to serve as volunteers with Wycliffe Bible Translators [“JAARS”]. In 2003, they retired again and relocated to Asheville, NC.

A private family memorial service will be livestreamed at the Facebook page for St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, in Asheville, NC at 2:00 pm on Sunday, August 16, 2020. That web address is facebook.com/stmarksasheville and will begin streaming shortly before the service begins. Interment will be at a future date in the Post Cemetery, United States Army Field Artillery Center, Fort Sill, OK, where Colonel Lassiter served from 1977 to 1982.

We believe that in lieu of flowers, Dad would have preferred a donation to Wycliff Bible Translators or Asheville Buncombe Cooperative Christian Ministries, or for those honoring him to do a kindness to someone in person and say that it was in honor of Ed Lassiter’s memory. He was a generous man who donated to many charities and who practiced kindnesses small and large.

Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family.