The Rev. Arleigh W. Lassiter

The Rev. Arleigh W. Lassiter passed away May 11, 2010 at the age of 89.

The Reverend Arleigh W. Lassiter was born in Memphis, Tennessee, on November 20, 1920. Later his family moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and he graduated from Northeast High School. He went on to attend University of Missouri-Kansas City, and graduated in 1941. Arleigh attended the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, and received his Bachelor's of Divinity in 1945.

He began his service to the Episcopal Church as an acolyte when he was a child at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral. Arleigh was ordained a deacon on June 29, 1944, and ordained a priest on May 5, 1945, at Grace and Holy Trinity. His first calling as a priest was to St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Maryville, Missouri, St. Oswald's - in-the-Field near Skidmore, Missouri, and St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Savannah, Missouri, from 1945 through 1948. Then he went to Christ Church, St. Joseph, Missouri, from 1948-1949.

He met Betty Lou McPherson, and they were married on June 28, 1947. Betty and Arleigh moved back to Kansas City, Missouri, and his next church was Church of the Good Shepherd. He was the priest there 1949-1967. In 1968 Fr. Arleigh joined Dean Eugene Malcolm, Sr. as Canon Chancellor and Canon Pastor at Grace and Holy Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. He continued to serve until 1978 when he was called to St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Shawnee, Kansas. He retired from St. Luke's in 1986. Fr. Arleigh Lassiter continued his ministry as part-time priest for St. Francis in Stillwell, Kansas, from 1986 through November, 1993. He was called to St. Martin-in-the-Field in Edwardsville, Kansas, on December 19, 1993, and continued until July 16, 2006.

During and after his personal struggle with alcohol, he was involved in Alcoholics Anonymous and Kansas City Area National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. He celebrated his 43rd year of sobriety this year. He was the president of Kansas City Council on Alcoholism several years including 1991. He received the James J. McWilliam Tough Love Award in 1995 from the Kansas City Council.

Arleigh received the Shield Tippet Award in 1972 from the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri. St. Martin-in-the-field honored Arleigh by naming the undercroft Lassiter Hall for his service to St. Martin's. Arleigh Lassiter was an Episcopal priest for 65 years.

Arleigh is survived by two daughters Cheryl Ball and husband Gary Ball of Raytown, Missouri, and Charlene Lassiter of Wichita, Kansas. He has four grandchildren, Nancy Palmer, Shannon Sutherland, Stacey Sutherland, and Scott Sutherland. Arleigh was blessed with three great-grandchildren-Mikayla Pink, Jackson Palmer, and Caroline Palmer. Arleigh was preceded in death by his granddaughter Dr. Julie A. Ball, and his wife of 62 years Betty Lou Lassiter.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to:

St. Martin-in-the-Field Episcopal Church

1501 Edwardsville Drive

P. O. Box 13012

Edwardsville, Kansas 66113

or

St. Luke's Episcopal Church

5325 Nieman Road

Shawnee, Kansas 66203

or

Grace Hospice

9233 Ward Parkway, Suite 201

Kansas City, Missouri 64114

Memorial Service

The memorial service will be at 7:00 p.m., Friday, June 4, 2010, held at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral 415 W. 13th Kansas City, Missouri. The inurnment will be at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 5325 Nieman Road, Shawnee, Kansas, on June 6, 2010 at 12:30 p.m. with a reception to follow.