John William Lascelles

John William Lascelles died at his home in Henderson, Nevada, on November 7, 2026. His exit from this world aligned with the way he inhabited it: on his own terms, unfussy, a bit on the quiet side, profound.

He was born in Ormond Beach, Florida, the adored only child of John and Georgianna (Moflar) Lascelles. A lifelong water lover, he grew up causing mischief along the banks of the Halifax River and the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. He and his father shared a love of speed boats and fast cars, and a healthy bolt of adrenaline carved through his otherwise intellectual sensibilities. He was a natural athlete, gifted in waterskiing and long-distance running in particular.

While attending Seabreeze High School, he met Janine Daunt, the land-dwelling mermaid he would share his world with for the rest of her days. John and Janine recognized in each other a mutual rebellious spirit (hers louder and more outward, his low-key but intrinsic), and the life they built together exemplified that in their counterculture lifestyle and frequent (sometimes spontaneous) location changes. They were partners in all senses, running businesses together, spotting each other during early-morning gym sessions, and rarely leaving each other’s sides throughout life’s daily tasks. They were a devoted and unified force, and the legacy of their love lives on in their greatest collaborations: their two daughters and three grandchildren.

John was a natural healer. Initially attending the University of South Florida for pre-med, he quickly realized that allopathic medicine did not align with the ways he wished to help people. Ever the curious investigator, his own research brought him to acupuncture, leading he and Janine to leave their beloved coastline for the high desert of Santa Fe, New Mexico. He earned his DOM from The Santa Fe College of Natural Medicine. At a time when Chinese Medicine was unfamiliar and obscure in the US, John built thriving private practices in Santa Fe and Albuquerque due to the high quality and thoughtful care he offered his clients. Later, he founded Body Tek Fitness Center with Janine and their family, an extension of their commitment to support healthy living in their community. He continued to share his knowledge and passion for acupuncture as an instructor at the Texas Acupuncture Institute in Austin, Texas. To John, the best approach to health was a holistic combination of natural medicine, active lifestyle, energy work, and metaphysical practices. He continued lifelong learning for his toolkit of healing modalities.

In 1999, he and Janine relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada. To their surprise, aside from a few jaunts to live the RV life or help family and friends in other places, that became their homebase for the remainder of their lives. After Janine passed in 2019, John found a second love story with his partner Jennifer, and theirs was a bond of enduring care and companionship after both lost their beloved spouses.

John was preceded in death by his wife Janine Lascelles; father John H. Lascelles; mother Georgie Lascelles; mother-in-law (and second mother) Betty Daunt; and brother-in-law Michael Daunt.

John is survived by his daughters Jenna Dell (Brent) of North Las Vegas, Nevada, and Jade Lascelles (Eric) of Denver, Colorado; grandchildren Aydin Gundogan of Carson City, Nevada, Selma Gundogan of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Leyla Gundogan of North Las Vegas, Nevada; partner Jennifer White of Henderson, Nevada; sisters-in-law Kristine Blackman (Phillip) of Corrales, New Mexico, and Andrea Kidd (Dennis) of Albuquerque, New Mexico; niece Veronica Kidd of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and nephew Bo Kidd of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Adopted as a newborn, John was blessed with a loving family and wonderful parents who gave him a beautiful life. Growing up as an only child, however, he always wondered about his biological roots and the family he had never known. In 2019, through AncestryDNA, he was finally able to connect with his birth family, bringing answers to lifelong questions and opening the door to relationships he had only dreamed of. He remained forever grateful to his birth parents for giving him life and to his adoptive parents for the love, opportunities, and family they provided. Among the greatest gifts of this discovery was finding his sister, Jackie Sperazza, with whom he was fortunate to share a meaningful relationship in the years that followed. He is also survived by Jackie, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and her four children, who became a cherished part of his extended family. His daughters, Jenna and Jade, are especially grateful for the family connections that came from this discovery. Now, with their father's passing, those relationships hold an even deeper meaning, providing a lasting connection to a part of their father's life and family they might otherwise never know.

John also leaves behind a lifetime of treasured friendships, including his dear friends Larry Staley and Stuart Watts, along with countless other lifelong friends and extended family members whose lives were enriched by knowing him.

Following a private family celebration in Las Vegas, a memorial service for family and friends will be planned in Florida at a later date. His ashes will then be returned to the Florida waters where his and Janine’s hearts have always belonged.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests memorial donations be made to the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) of Las Vegas, an organization especially close to their hearts. The family will be forever grateful for the compassion, comfort, and invaluable support TIP provided to John's partner, Jennifer, on the day of his passing. Donations may be made in John's memory at www.tipoflasvegas.org.