Michael Van Tassel

PARISH — Michael D. Van Tassel, 63 of Parish died Friday, November 27, 2009 at St. Joseph's Medical Center, Syracuse.

Born November 1, 1946 in Watertown, NY, he was the son of Earl J. and Doris Hoover Van Tassel, and graduated from Indian River High School in 1965.

Mr. Van Tassel served in the U. S. Marine Corp. from 1966 to 1968 in Panama, Haiti, Puerto Rico and Cuba and was honorably discharged.

He was an independent owner/operator truck driver, most recently for Mercer Transportation Co., Louisville, KY retiring in March 2009.

He married Anna Wells of LaFargeville on December 13, 1969 at the Theresa United Methodist Church.

Survivors including his wife of nearly 40 years, Anna, are his parents; Earl and Doris Van Tassel, Evans Mills; two daughters and a son-in-law, Vicki Moot, Sandy Pond and Maureen and William Bennett, Mexico; two brothers and their wives, Walt and Tudy Van Tassel, Watertown and Curtis and Karen Van Tassel, Kannapolis, NC; a sister and her husband, Linda and Bruce Drake, Rossie; 6 grandchildren, Kaylee, Taylor and Jayden Moot, all of Sandy Pond and Dathan, Ashley and Emily Bennett, all of Mexico; numerous well loved nieces, nephews and friends.

He was predeceased by a brother, Larry Van Tassel who died in 1994.

The funeral will be 10 am Wednesday at Frederick Bros. Funeral Home, Inc., Theresa with Rev. Penni Farrington of the Philadelphia and Evans Mills United Methodist Churches officiating. Burial with military honors at Clayton Cemetery will be at a later date.

Calling hours are 5 to 8 pm Tuesday at the funeral home.

Donations may be made to the Salvation Army, 723 State Street, Watertown, NY, 13601, the American Cancer Society, 6725 Lyons Street, P.O. Box 7, East Syracuse, NY, 13057 or the Lana Petrie Trust, c/o Key Bank, 2676 Main Street West, Parish, NY, 13131 to offset medical expenses at Roswell Cancer Center in Buffalo. Lana is Mr. Van Tassel's sister-in-law.

The family request no perfumes or colognes be worn due to allergies.

Condolences may be made online at www.frederickbrosfuneralhome.com.