John W. Tasseff

John William Tasseff went home to be with the Lord on August 13, 2025. He is survived by his three sons, Todd (Patsy) Tasseff, Lee (Margie) Tasseff, and Craig (Carol) Tasseff, his sister Helen {Tasseff} Woolley, and grandchildren, Kate, Samantha, Audrey, Aaron, Natalie, Grant, Lydia, John and Tim, and great-grandchild James William. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 63 years, Shirley {Kerhin} Tasseff, his parents, Blage and Evangeline {Kostich} Tasseff, and his brothers, Alex, Tom, and Anastas Tasseff.

Born in Massillon, OH, and a longtime resident of Navarre, OH, John was a beloved member of his community. A graduate of Washington High School and Purdue University, he was a science teacher for 34 years, working for the Marlington, Fairless, and Perry School districts. He coached football, wrestling, and junior high basketball, and helped new drivers excel behind the wheel as a driver’s education instructor. He touched many lives throughout his teaching career and will always be remembered for that legacy.

John was deeply involved in his church, St. Paul’s Lutheran in Massillon. He served on the board of directors for Make-a-Way, volunteered at Red Cross blood drives, delivered cars for Kempthorn Motors, sang barbershop music with the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America (SPEBSQSA), and still met regularly with high school classmates at the Boys Club into his nineties. He competed in Track and Field in the National Senior Games for decades, winning too many medals to count.

He will be remembered for his joyfulness, his friendly spirit, his laughter, his love of singing and classic movies, his active lifestyle, and his faithful presence in the lives of his siblings, children, and grandchildren.

Family and friends are invited to visit at Paquelet & Arnold-Lynch Funeral Home, 1100 Wales Rd. NE Massillon, OH 44646 on Tuesday, August 19th from 5:00 until 8:00 p.m., and again at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 127 Cherry Rd. NE Massillon, OH 44646 on Wednesday, August 20th at 10:00 a.m., followed by a funeral service beginning at 11:00 a.m. Interment to follow the service at East Union Lawn Cemetery, where John will be laid to rest with Shirley. In lieu of flowers, donations in John's memory are suggested to Make-A-Way, Inc., P.O. Box 904 Massillon, OH 44648-0904. To share a memory of John or leave a special message for his family, visit the guest book below.