Lyle Craft Hassen, aged 84, of Grand Rapids, passed away on Saturday, October 5, 2019 after a three-week battle with illness. Lyle was born in Toledo, OH to Fred and Miriam (Craft) Hassen. He joined the United States Marine Corp in 1952 and was a proud member of the Marine Corp Rifle Team. He married JoAnn Schaap in 1966 and together they raised two daughters. Lyle served his country for 22 years before retiring as a USMC Captain in 1974. After a year of living on a ranch in California, he and his family moved to Grand Rapids, where Lyle worked at Michigan Bulb Company until retiring in 1997.Lyle was preceded in death by JoAnn, his wife of 39 years; his father; his mother; and his brother, Jim. He is survived by his daughters, Jamie Hassen of Grand Rapids and Jodi (Shaun) Graham of Wiltshire, England; grandsons, Landon and Nolan Graham; granddaughter, Hayden Graham; sister, Carolyn (Dale) Gaerke of Perrysburg, OH; and several nieces and nephews. Lyle was an avid reader of American history, particularly American military history. He enjoyed hunting, trap and skeet shooting, and long talks about historical guns. He was a member of Madison Square Gun Club and the American Legion Post 47. He was known for his love of Jim Beam, his knack for telling the same stories over and over again, and his sense of humor (often inappropriate). He was never one to hold back his commentary, often to the dismay of his daughters. He was immensely proud of his grandchildren and relished hearing the stories of their accomplishments and adventures. His daughters have always said that Lyle had nine lives. Over the years, Lyle survived two tours of Vietnam; a helicopter crash; being thrown from a horse; being hit by a drunk driver; bladder cancer; a major stroke; and sudden kidney failure. Through it all, he never lost his sense of humor or his large group of loyal friends. Lyle lived another nine lives in the final weeks of his life, trying to persevere against all odds, before this tough old Marine finally answered the call to come home.
A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 11, 2019 at 11:00 am at Reyers North Valley Chapel on Fuller Ave in Grand Rapids, with calling one hour before. A short graveside service at Blythefield Memory Gardens will follow. Afterwards, and in accordance with Lyle’s wishes, there will be a “Celebration of Life” gathering for friends and family. Although he won’t be in attendance, Lyle promised there would be Jim Beam. Details to follow.
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