Obituary of Lula Little VanTassel

Lula “Lou” Little VanTassel

Elmira – Age 100, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 26, 2019.  Lou was born on January 12, 1919 in the tenant house on the Quarry Farm where her mom and dad were employed by Mrs. Crane.  She was the middle daughter of Fred and Ora (McLane) Little.  She lived all her life in the Elmira area, married William “Billy” VanTassel on August 3, 1940 and they shared 42 years together.  Billy died on January 12, 1983.  Their beautiful daughter, Elizabeth (VanTassel) Jacobi left this world on January 20, 2003 at age 53.  Lou was also predeceased by sisters, Irene Lyon and Betty Biggs; and nephew Ronald Lyon. She is survived by her loving grandchildren, Jennifer (Aaron) Stimson and William (Kristin) Jacobi; her amazing and wonderful great granddaughter Elizabeth Grace Stimson; nephew Cornelius “Pepsi” Lyon; nieces, Marcy Coggins, Irene Dobromil and Barbara Webb.  Also surviving are great nephews, Sean, Chris and Tim Coggins, Neil Lyon and Tony Webb; great nieces, Cassie Lyon, Roxanne Timberlake, Leslie Lyon, Anita Reeves, Irika Quinn and Dawnette Wiklund; several great-great nieces and great-great nephews; many dear cousins and friends.  Lou lived a wonderfully happy life.  She loved her family and friends, grew up during the “Great Depression” and graduated from Southside High School in 1936.  Like most of her generation, she loved the music of the “big bands”.  She and Billy spent many hours on the dance floor “dancing the night away”.  She became a “Remington-Rander” and learned about hard work while earning 37 ½ cents an hour, and felt very lucky.  Lou wore many hats – she worked in the food business in the Remington-Rand and Norden Industrial Cafeterias – worked on testing typewriters and adding machines at Rand, was an Accounts Payable clerk at the Arnot, and for a number of years she worked as the Office Manager for Dr. James Marshall and Dr. James Sonsire at Southern Tier Plastic Surgery Associates from where she retired. When she retired in 1983, she took on an even busier life, helping her daughter, Elizabeth, cope with the trauma of Juvenile Diabetes which included 13 months of dialysis, a kidney transplant in 1991, a pancreas transplant in 1995 and two cornea transplants.  At this time, Lou became a full time grandmother to Jennifer, 8 and William, 4.  Lou always felt her daughter was a gift from God.  They shared many happy times, not the least were the years they were actively involved in Girl Scouting, dating from second to eighth grades at Hardy and Broadway schools.  For over 80 years Lou had lived in the VanTassel family home that has been home to 5 generations of VanTassels dating back to 1896.  Family and friends are invited to McInerny Funeral Home, 502 W. Water St., Elmira on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  A funeral service will be held there on Thursday, May 30, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. followed by committal prayers and interment in the VanTassel family lot at Woodlawn Cemetery.   Those wishing may remember Lou with a donation to either, Care First, 3805 Meads Creek Rd, Painted Post NY 14870 or Joslin Diabetes, www.joslin.org.