https://gofund.me/4130e9b4

"Jon" Jonathon Francis Lassa, beloved husband of Liz, devoted father of Jon Luke, Jayce, and Juliet, and son of the late Robert and Lois Lassa. Jon came from a big family and is survived by Joe, Peter, Paul (Palmyra), Jim (Debbie), Pam Dauby (Pierre), Jerry (Shane), Phil, and Patrice. He will be missed by many nieces and nephews: Olivia, Henry, Owen, Fred, Alex, Gabri, Tori, Andrew, Samuel, Adam, and Sophie. He will be dearly missed by his godfather Greg (Evelyn) as well his cousins Lyn Gordon (Jeff) and their children, Rachel and Danny, as well as extended family and friends. Memories of Jon's gentle but strong character come rushing to our minds as we celebrate his life.

Jon and Liz met at Ski-A-Rees, an amateur competitive waterskiing team, where they became doubles partners. Yes, Jon skied with Liz on his shoulders! They fell in love and married after Liz completed college in 1995.  Jon and Liz started their life together in Sarasota, Florida. They moved to Virginia for Jon's job at the Smithsonian, where they had their first child, Jon Luke. They then moved back to Sarasota, where Jayce was born. After a job transfer in 2007, they moved to Park Ridge, Illinois, where Juliet was born and continued to raise their family here the past 17 years.

Over the years, Jon served as head coach for all three children in softball and baseball for more than 20-plus seasons - always present, always there for them. It has been observed by many that he would do anything for his kids and his family. Next June, Jon and Liz would have been married 30 years.

Jon's priorities were his faith, marriage, and family, both immediate and extended. He loved being part of such a big family, and always treasured time with his siblings and their families. A lighthearted person, he could light up the room with a new nickname, an offbeat voice, or a goofy observation. He made life fun. He knew how to make any moment memorable. It's this trait that made him everyone's favorite uncle. ;)  (wink, wink). He loved sports, and his favorite teams were the Cubs, Bears, and the '90s Bulls. This made wardrobe and gift choices easy, as he was always seen in the fan gear of one of these teams.

Jon had his undergraduate degree in accounting and his master's in education. He was a CPA with a 30-year career in accounting and auditing. He made many lifelong friends at various jobs over the years, including his ten years with GE. Jon always made time to mentor younger professionals who sought out his counsel. His most recent job was as Vice President, Audit & Advisory Services at Everwise, a credit union with 50-plus branches across northern Indiana and Michigan.

Jon expressed numerous times over the years that he has a great deal of peace - peace with God, himself, and with his life. He shared recently that he looked forward to seeing his father and also his mother, who died an untimely death at 57-years-old. We have great comfort knowing we will see him again in heaven.

The family asks that we honor his memory by embodying the love, compassion, and generosity that defined his character. May his spirit continue to inspire us all to bring more kindness into the world.

Visitation Saturday, August 3rd, at Mary Seat of Wisdom in Park Ridge at 10:00 am until time of funeral mass at 11:00 am. live stream https://www.youtube.com/maryseat .(copy and paste link) Interment private. In lieu of flowers, donations to the link below for the children would be appreciated. For information please call 847-685-1002 or cooneyfuneralhome.com

https://gofund.me/4130e9b4