Obituary of Franklin Cobb Lasater

Franklin C. Lasater Jr. died at his home April 26, 2023, after a five-and-a-half-year battle with prostate cancer.

Mr. Lasater was born May 2, 1949, in Decatur, Texas, to F.C. and Mary Jo (Stone) Lasater.  He attended several schools throughout Texas before moving with the family to Seoul, South Korea, in 1965 where his father served as a Baptist missionary. He graduated high school at Seoul Foreign School before returning to the United States to join the U.S. Marine Corps in 1969. He served as a supply sergeant in Vietnam and left the service after his two-year enlistment.

Mr. Lasater attended Control Data Institute in Dallas, Texas, to earn a degree in computer science.  He worked at Singer Business Machines before joining Storage Technology Corporation in 1976 in the Dallas office.  He worked as a field engineer in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and moved with the company to work in the Austin-San Antonio area.  In 1990, he transferred to the company’s Louisville, CO, headquarters. He worked in various engineering positions in Colorado with the company as it was acquired by Sun Microsystems then Oracle.  He retired after 42 years with the combined company in 2018.

He was married to Paula Hendershot from 1969 to 1971. 

Mr. Lasater and Wanda Barrett were married at the Oak Grove United Methodist Church in Decatur in August 1973. She retired in 2017 and they were able to enjoy retirement and travel including a trip to Europe.

He will be missed by family and friends for his endless supply of stories and movie quotes for any occasion.  He was always willing to help with any project and would bring his engineer’s sense of order.

Survivors include his widow Wanda of Longmont, CO; parents, Rev. F.C. and Mary Jo Lasater of Monett, MO; sisters, Debi and Calvin Meeds of Mount Vernon, MO, and Brenda and Loren Crow of New Braunfels, TX; brother, Bobby and Barbara Lasater of Springfield, MO.; daughters,  Niki and Kevin Loudermilk of San Antonio, TX, and Gwen and Matt Byerly of Johnstown, CO; sons, Martin Lasater and Scott Lasater, both of Longmont, CO; and grandchildren, Derek Bratetic and Amanda of Arvada, CO, Katlin Byerly of Johnstown, CO, Ava Lasater of Phoenix, AZ, Kaley Byerly of Johnstown, CO, Lauren Loudermilk of San Antonio, TX, and Matthew Loudermilk of San Antonio, TX.

A memorial reception is planned to remember and share stories at Carroll-Lewellen Funeral Home, Longmont, CO, on May 13 from 1 to 3 pm.  An additional memorial service is planned in Decatur, TX, on May 20 from 1 to 3 pm at Oak Grove Methodist Church.

Donations may be made to Prostate Cancer Foundation in lieu of flowers.  Donations may be made either online at www.pcf.org or mailed to Prostate Cancer Foundation, 1250 Fourth St., Santa Monica, CA 90401. Tax ID 95-4418411.