Lani Kaye Jassman
April 11, 1959 ~ March 15, 2026
Lani Kaye Jassman (née Duce) passed away peacefully at home in her sleep next to the love of her life, Norm, after a beautiful day of playing with her grandchildren on March 15th, 2026. In addition to her husband of almost 40 years, she leaves to cherish her memory six children and their families: Kristine and Chris (Hannah, Amber, Jeni) Tavin and Rienko (Shae, Shae-Lee, Mila, Anneke) Carson and Lana (Kensi) Brittany (Eathan, Thomas, Samuel) Dallas and Megan (Charlee, Emily) Travis and Morgan (Walker, Hyland, Renna) The oldest of seven children, Lani was born to Lamar & Wealtha Duce in Cardston, Alberta, where her mother instilled in her a deep love of music. Lani worked hard to pay for her own piano lessons through her teenage years and for her university education at BYU, where she graduated with her teaching degree in 1981. She embarked on a beautiful career in education, teaching both music and humanities for 20 years. Lani was a deeply empathetic, passionate teacher who positively impacted hundreds of students over the years, many of whom would reach out years later to tell her how much she meant to them. She was well-known for her “Spring Flings”, where she worked to ensure each child had their moment to shine on the stage. Lani wrote and arranged much of the music that she performed with her students and was never more impassioned than when she was in front of a choir. Her career was cut short in 2001, due to her significant health issues that she bore with a quiet grace and strength for the rest of her life. Lani welcomed the birth of her first child, Carson, in 1983 and courageously raised him as a fiercely protective single mother until she met and married Norman Jassman in 1986 and became a loving step-mom to his two beautiful daughters, Kristine and Tavin, who she always simply called her “daughters”. Norm and Lani would settle on a little farm north of Bow Island in 1988 and welcome three more children, building a beautiful life together amongst the endless tasks of running a farm, caring for their animals, planting and tending acres of vegetables and flower beds, and teaching their children what deep, enduring love looked like. Though she deeply mourned the loss of her teaching career, Lani devoted herself to the love and service of her family. She supported her kids in every endeavor and worked unceasingly, even when her body protested and failed her. When her grandchildren came along, she found a new purpose and dedicated the rest of her life to ensuring they knew how much she loved them. There was no more willing babysitter than Grandma Lani and she often had several grandchildren on her lap as she read story after story to them, and always with the perfect voice for each character. Lani knew that her time on this earth wouldn’t be long and she wanted to hang on long enough to ensure her grandkids were all old enough to remember her and how much she loved them. She knew that when she had finished her work, her beloved father, Lamar, would be there to escort her home. Her family takes great comfort in knowing her goals were achieved and that she rests now from all pain, her memory cherished forever.
Celebration Of Life
Cook Southland Funeral Chapel 901 – 13 Street S.W., Medicine Hat
Monday, March 23, 2026
Time of visitation between 10:00 a.m. and 10:40 a.m.
Funeral Service at 11:00 a.m.
Mr. Lynn Edwards conducting
Reception and fellowship to follow at Reflections Reception Facility
Private Family Interment thereafter at the Cardston Cemetery
Lani’s service will be live-streamed. Those who cannot attend but wish to experience the celebration may do so by visiting the Cook Southland website and selecting the View Broadcast button on the homepage at service time. If friends so desire, donations in memory of Lani may be made to the Alberta Music Education Foundation through their website: www.amef.ca. (Condolences may be expressed by visiting our website at www.cooksouthland.com) Honoured to serve the family is Cook Southland Funeral Chapel, Crematorium and Reflections Reception Facility, 901 – 13 Street S.W., Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 4V4. Telephone: 403-527-6455 or toll free at: 1-877-528-6455.
- Date : 2026-03-15
- Location : Bow Island, Alberta