L. Jane Lasky

ASHMORE, IL – Lynnette Jane Lasky, whose friends knew her as Jane, died on Tuesday, October 27, 2020 at the Odd Fellow-Rebekah Home in Mattoon, Illinois.  Graveside services, officiated by Rabbi Alan Cook, were held Friday, October 30, 2020, at Mount Hope Cemetery in Champaign, Illinois. 

Jane was born December 21, 1942 in Decatur, Illinois where she grew up.  Jane, who rarely mentioned her many accomplishments, received her bachelor’s degree in history from Eastern Illinois University and went on to complete a master’s degree in history from the University of Illinois.  She subsequently earned a master’s degree in library science from Eastern Illinois University.

Jane married Herbert Lasky on November 28, 1968 in Champaign, Illinois, and several years later they built a country home near Ashmore, Illinois.  Jane worked at Eastern Illinois University’s Booth Library for a number of years before serving as Assistant to the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities.

Jane’s mother, Geneva (Pasley) Harrod, and father, John Harrod, preceded her in death.  She is survived by her devoted husband of nearly 52 years, Herb Lasky; her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Ella and Jon Cardon, of Manhattan, New York; and a niece, Marjorie Kaye, her husband, Josh Kaye, and their children, Maya and Noah, all of Brooklyn, New York.

As might be expected of a historian and librarian, Jane was an avid reader.  She loved music and always valued education.  Jane contributed to the EIU symphony and supported a number of scholarships at EIU.  Yet it was the passion for the dogs that she bred, showed, and rescued that shaped her daily life.

She was a strong advocate for social justice and belonged to the Coles County Democrats, the Best Friends Animal Society located in Utah and known to be the nation’s largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals, and Fisher House Foundation, which provides housing for families of VA patients who are hospitalized. 

In lieu of flowers, Herb Lasky requests that memorial contributions be made to any of the following: the Hebrew Free Burial Association of New York, the Righteous Christians, the Champaign County Humane Society, Planned Parenthood, Best Friends Animal Society, or Fisher House Foundation.  Gifts may be mailed to Adams Funeral Chapel, 2230 Shawnee Drive, Charleston, IL 61920.

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