Extracted from The Panama City Pilot (Panama City, FL)
Monday, July 29, 1929

WALTER BROWN LASSITER

The youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Brown Lassiter, was born in Washington County, FL on 3 Dec. 1855, and passed away at the home of his oldest daughter Mrs. Louis H. Howell, in this city (Panama City, FL) on 29 Jan. 1929.

His parents were pioneer residents of this section. His mother was a sister of the late Uncle William Gainer of Econfina, another pioneer settler and his father settled on the old Lassiter homestead on the banks of the Choctawhatchee River many years before the outbreak of the Civil War. The exact date is not known, but it is believed to have been some time during the Forties of the last century, when the Bowington family were the only other settlers in that vacinity. Miles Bowington, according to U.S. Land Office records was a member of the party that made the Land Office survey of lands in this part of the State in 1847, and tradition has it that the elder Lassiter was a neighbor of the Bowingtons at that time. It was at the old homestead that Walter Lassiter was born.

Mr. Lassiter's entire life was spent in Washington County prior to coming to Panama City in 1909 with his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Howell.

About 1880 he married Mrs. Sallie Tanton Bowers, a widow. To this union was born one daughter, Eula now Mrs. L.H. Howell. His first wife died in Aug 1885. His second wife, whom he married in 1889 also a widow, Mrs. Mary Skipper Robinson. To them was born a daughter Jessie, now Mrs. B.P. Davis of this city. In addition to two daughters Uncle Walter was affectionately known to a host of friends throughout this section, is survived by four grandchildren and two grandsons, Bron Howell and Harold Davis and Misses Floie Howell and Clarice Davis. Other immediate surviiving relatives are a brother Mr. Lafayette Lassiter of Red Bay in Walton County, FL and Mrs. Eugenia Williams of Graceville.

Mr. Lassiter was for many years an esteemed and capable public official of his native county. The first office that he held was that of tax assessor, following which he servied as clerk of the circuit court from 1880 - 1901. He then retired for private live until 1906 when he was elected to the legislature as representative from Washington County and served duriing the term of 1907.

His religious affiliation was with the Methodist Church in the presence of a large number of sorrowing friends and kinspeople. Internment was made in Oakland Cemetery in this city.