Rhea V. Lassignal

Rhea V. Lassignal Saginaw, MI Passed away March 15, 2017, age 94, in Thornton, CO. She was born April 25, 1922 to the late Thelma M. Bedore and Isaac Daniel Bedore in Saginaw. She lived most of her life there with her husband and highschool sweetheart, Jules C. Lassignal, MD, who predeceased her July 13, 2003, age 81. Rhea moved to Thornton, Colorado April, 2004 to be near one of her two daughters, Sally. She spent her remaining years living at Villas at Sunny Acres, though continuing to miss Saginaw. Her oldest daughter, Nancy, recently moved from North Carolina to Denver. Rhea graduated from Saginaw High School in 1940 and attended comptometer school; she took a job at Michigan Bell, becoming head bookkeeper in the billing department, and worked intermittantly until it was time to start a family in 1949. Rhea and Jules moved a lot during his medical training, July 1947 to July 1948 in Cincinnati, Ohio for his Good Samaritan Hospital internship, followed by two and one half years in Detroit for Providence Hospital residency. Rhea managed with two young babies by then in a bungalow on State St. in Saginaw, while Jules served in the Korean War. He was gone March 1951 to March 1953 as ship surgeon on the USS Missouri, and was happy to return home again to his family. Jules soon opened his office and began his medical practice in Saginaw and Rhea nestled into the life of a homemaker. They lived in Saginaw Township 1956-1979 in a home they built on Delta Dr., after which time they lived in a Swan Valley Condominium on Kennely Dr. They also built a chalet at Maple Point, near Gladwin, MI and shared many good times with friends there. Rhea had numerous friends in Saginaw, mostly couples she and Jules had known for many years. She enjoyed bridge club, reading, gardening, cooking and caring for their home, as well as being there for her daughters. She was an excellent seamstress, making and altering clothing with ease. She was a beautiful knitter, creating many lovely sweaters for family, and African children mission projects. In recent years she knitted baby blankets and bonnets for great grandchildren. She knitted so evenly "like a machine"! Most impressive was her interest and talent in weaving on full size floor loom. Rhea wove towels, table runners and yards of fabric for Nancy to fashion into garments. She had a great eye for color and texture choices. Rhea enjoyed antiques, collecting and refinishing furniture pieces. She liked to scour the antique stores for household items, dishes and bowls and decorative finds. She treasured many inherited things from her grandparents farm, particularly the fine lace and needlework her grandmother did by kerosene lantern. Her mother, Thelma was just as talented in these skills as is Nancy. Rhea and Jules loved to golf together and travel the country visiting sights of interest as well as their daughters and families as they moved about over the years. They enjoyed taking good long walks and simple pleasures and caring for one another. Surviving are two daughters and their husbands, Nancy and Gary Johnson, Denver, Colorado; Sally and Bill Heasty, Westminster, Colorado; four grandchildren, Matthew Johnson, Scott Heasty, Jennifer (Heasty) Sharp, and Sarah (Heasty) Finley, plus 11 great grandchildren. Rhea also leaves one sister, Maris Beckman of Glenwood, IL, and is predeceased by her older sister, Yvonne Bourdow of Hemlock, MI. Rhea and Jules were members of Holy Spirit Catholic Church. She was laid to rest in Oakwood Mausoleum beside Jules. Funeral services were held at W.L Cases on Mackinaw, for immediate family, on March 27, 2017. www.casefuneralhome.com

Funeral Home:
W. L. Case and Company Mackinaw Funeral Chapel
4480 Mackinaw Road
Saginaw, MI
US 48603