Reiner Lassig

Reiner Otto Lassig, age 89, of South Jordan, Utah passed away in his home surrounded by his family on July 26, 2025. He was born in Chemnitz, Saxony, Germany on November 25, 1935, to Otto Oswald Lassig and Johanna Kamilla Kappel Lassig.

Reiner grew up in East Germany under Communist rule. His father died in a prisoner of war camp in Poland in 1945 after being captured by the Russian army. His family did not learn of his death until Reiner was 14 years old. His mother had to go to work to support the family and Reiner became the father figure to his younger siblings. When he was 21, he escaped into West Germany. He and his brother, Klaus, immigrated to the United States two years later. He served in the United States Army and was stationed in Hawaii from 1960 to 1962. He was an excellent dancer and met his wife, Janice White Shurtleff, at a church dance on Memorial Day, became engaged to her on July 4th, and married her in the Salt Lake Temple on September 6, 1963. Together they have 10 children.

Always a patriot, Reiner proudly flew the American flag daily and will be remembered for his willingness to share the story of his escape to freedom, especially near the 4th of July every year. He worked as a maintenance mechanic in East Germany in the peoples' owned paper factory where his brother and cousins also worked. After the 2nd World War, care packages were sent to Germany by the Church and his relatives in Salt Lake City. The arrival of the much-needed food and clothing convinced him and his brother that they wanted to immigrate to America where those packages originated. His cousin Lothar Nestman sponsored them, and they arrived in September 1958. He had learned English from a British tutor in Germany and that came in handy when he and Klaus traveled from New York to Salt Lake City by bus, which took three days.

He went to work at Niederhauser Ornamental Metal Works right away, and because of his detail-oriented nature, he became a master welder of various metals. He made and installed the large brass doors on the Oakland Temple, the brass railings in the lobby of the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City, and many other projects in various other buildings and temples until 1984, when he left to form Lassco Sound and Systems with his brother Klaus. They worked together until he retired in 1995 to take care of their ailing mother.

The first year that Reiner was called to be Cub Master and run a Pinewood Derby, he put his talent for quality craftsmanship to work. Over the next several years, he succeeded in teaching his children how to be serious about their work, and in the process, each of his sons won a trophy or two.

Reiner was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served three Stake Missions in East Germany, a Stake Mission in West Valley City, Utah and a mission with his wife to the Sudanese Refugees in Salt Lake City, Utah. Throughout his life, he served in various Church positions, but his favorite was teaching the children. He loved serving in the Jordan River Temple for 18 years and in the Oquirrh Mountain Temple for 5 years.

He had an open-door policy in his home. He welcomed several students from Germany for months or years at a time, and fostered Levon Katsakhyan from Armenia like a son until he got married. His children's friends were his friends. He had a great love for people and made friends wherever he went. He never met a "stranger".

He was introduced to his wife's Shurtelff family cabin on the Snake River in Island Park, Idaho when they were engaged. They spent their honeymoon and every summer vacation since at the cabin with their family. That tradition continues. Fishing became his hobby, and he passed his love for it onto his children. He enjoyed playing pinochle every evening, but he and Shan always left the rest of us to continue into the wee morning hours because we are night owls, and they are not. Reiner was a very disciplined person and followed his routines precisely. In 2019, they built a cabin of their own next door to the Shurtleff cabin, making a beautiful dream come true. It became their summer home. We were blessed to spend a few weeks there together as a family over this recent 4th of July holiday.

Reiner is survived by his wife of nearly 62 years, Jan, his children Eric (Stephanie), Shan (Thelma), Julie (Steve) Eihausen, Steven (Becky), Greg (Jenny), Kirk (Kirstin), Kevin (Jennie), Chad (Tristi), Tyler (Cheryl), and Laraine (Andrew) Nelson, 33 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren, his sister, Annemarie Ferrari, sister-in-law, Arlene Lassig, and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Klaus Lassig.

A viewing will be held Friday August 1, 2025, at McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 South Redwood Road, Taylorsville, Utah from 6:00 pm until 8:30 pm.

The funeral service will be held Saturday August 2, 2025, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 10860 South 3200 West, South Jordan, Utah at 11:00 am. A viewing will be held prior to the service from 9:30am until 10:45am.

Interment will be at Redwood Memorial Estates, 6500 South Redwood Road, West Jordan, Utah following the services.