John Neal Lassinger, 62, passed away peacefully of Alzheimer’s Disease on Wednesday morning, Oct. 26, 2022.
Neal was born Sept. 8, 1960, to Luann Lassinger and the late John Lassinger in Warren, Pa.
In childhood, Neal enjoyed building model rockets and trains. He built his family’s garage with his father and could always climb higher than his brother in their maple trees. He was a proud trombone player in his high school jazz, concert, and marching bands. He balanced his shenanigans and practical jokes (and explaining things to his parents) with his serious studies.
Neal attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where he graduated with a B.S. in 1982, followed by a M. Eng. in Computer and Systems Engineering in 1984. He was a member of Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society and the manager of the RPI pep band for hockey games. Neal was a camp counselor at Western Pennsylvania Conference United Methodist summer church camps, where he met his wife, Lori. They married on May 28, 1983.
Newly married, he moved to St. Louis, Mo., where he worked as an engineer for McDonnell Douglas Aircraft. Neal worked on various aircrafts and later felt a call to ministry. Neal and his family moved to Wilmore, Ky., where he attended Asbury Theological Seminary and received his M. Div. in 1992.
Neal was an ordained elder in the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church. He served as an influential pastor to eight churches in both the Missouri and Susquehanna Conferences of the United Methodist Church.
When he could no longer work due to Alzheimer’s Disease, Neal and his wife, Lori moved to Pensacola to spend more time with family. Neal always loved new experiences, especially when shared with loved ones. Family members recall Neal’s many joys in life, such as attending the symphony, going to the beach, playing with his grandchildren, enjoying movies, traveling, and attending both professional and his grandchildrens’ sporting events. He was proud of every accomplishment of his children and grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his father, John R. Lassinger; and his niece, Kaylee Lassinger.
Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Lori Lassinger; his daughters: Anna LeBlanc (Michael) and Natalie Young (Jonathan); his mother, Luann Lassinger; his brother, Craig Lassinger (Laurie); six grandchildren: Charlotte, Nathaniel and Mabel Kauzlarich, Clara LeBlanc, Leah and Joelle Young; two step-grandchildren: Victoria and Veronica LeBlanc; and eight nephews.
A memorial service will be held at the end of December in Pensacola, Fla. Please contact the family for more information if you would like to attend.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that memorial contributions be made in Rev. John “Neal” Lassinger’s name to the Tate Memorial Scholarship fund at Asbury Theological Seminary (of which Neal was a proud recipient). Gifts may be sent to: Advancement Office at Asbury Theological Seminary, 204 N. Lexington Ave. Wilmore, KY 40390, or online at https://asbury seminary.edu/donate/ with Tate Memorial in the check memo or comment section.
Or, consider making a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association in Neal’s name to help eradicate Alzheimer’s Disease. Donations may be made online at https://www.alz.org/ donate or by calling 1-800-272-3900.
