William Hance (“Bill”) Lassiter, Jr., a long time Nashville attorney, passed away on Friday, June 21st in Franklin, Tennessee after a short illness. He was 85. He is predeceased by his parents, Hance and Harriett Lassiter, and his wife of 59 years, the late Susan R. Lassiter. He is survived by his two children, Russ (Jennifer) Lassiter and Sherri (Tim) Shelly. Also survives are his grandchildren: Brandon Shelly, Megan (Tommy) Allen, Shane (Katie) Shelly, Gracie Shelly, and Will and Maggie Lassiter, great granddaughter, Emerson, and special friend, Paula Martin, as well as nephew David (Missy) Rutherford and nieces, Lea Rutherford and Lin Rutherford and his stepbrother, fellow attorney and Vanderbilt alum, Kent Jones.
Mr. Lassiter was born in Huntingdon, Tennessee in his childhood home right off the square. He attended Carroll County schools and graduated from Webb School in Bell Buckle, Vanderbilt University, and Vanderbilt Law School. He started his career with the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office in 1963 and of late practiced at the firm he started at Belcher, Sykes, Harrington. Mr. Lassiter was a member of Otter Creek Church of Christ and served on several charity boards, including the Wayne Reed Center and Heartbeat. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation in his name to the above-named charities. Visitation will be Wednesday, June 26th from 4-6pm and one hour before the Memorial which is scheduled for Thursday June 27th at 4:00pm at Otter Creek Church, 409 Franklin Rd, Brentwood, Tennessee. Honorary Pallbearers will be Lyn Baker, Dr. Lucien Simpson, Charles Tharp, Dr. Bob Enkema, Clay Whitelaw, Fred Holliday, Jack Farris, Jim White, David Rutherford, Tommy Allen, his grandsons, and his current and former law partners.
