Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

September 2, 2026

Gaither Calvin "Cal" Lassiter Jr., 90, passed away September 2, 2026, having lived a full and happy life. Born to Lenore and Gaither "Red" Lassiter of Spring Hope, North Carolina, Cal spent his teenage years at Willie Glen’s Electronics shop at a workbench, soldering old radios and making customers happy by giving their old electronics new life. It was this early passion that led him to NC State and a career in mechanical engineering. At State, Cal pledged the Gamma Upsilon Chapter of Lambda Chi, where his father was a charter member. He valued the friendships found at the fraternity house, maintaining some of these friendships for seventy years.

Following college, Cal came to work in Charlotte at Atlas Supply before splitting off with friends to form Heat Transfer Sales, a manufacturers' rep firm for commercial heating and air conditioning. Consistent with his engineering nature, Cal was a man of routine. He rotated his tires every 5,000 miles, ate an egg every Sunday morning, and finished every weekend with calls to friends around the country, a habit set when long-distance calling was half-price on Sunday evenings. This routine reflected the care he invested in his relationships, and it built a solid foundation of friendships, several of which dated back to his first birthday party.

At fifty years old, Cal changed up his routine and married Carol Cashion Lassiter. Cal’s love for Carol was so deep that he married her with the contingent benefit that she came with two middle school daughters who behaved exactly like middle school girls. He and Carol made their home in Lake Wylie, where they lived for over thirty years.

Cal’s final years were spent at the Cypress of Charlotte, where he continued to make new friends and was grateful for the happy life he and Carol had there. Cal leaves behind his wife, Carol Cashion Lassiter; his brother, Bill (wife, Patsy) of Newport News, Virginia; his nephew, Scott Lassiter (wife, Andi) of Cleveland, Minnesota; his niece, Suzanne Culotta (husband, Sandy) of Stanardsville, Virginia; and stepdaughters Missy Owen (husband, Geoff) of Charlotte and Amy Knorr of Harrisonburg, Virginia.

A celebration of life will be held at the Clubhouse at the Cypress on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 3:30 p.m, 3442 Cypress Club Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.