Edward A. Lasater ’59

Las died peacefully Sept. 28, 2018, at his home in Houston, Texas, after a short illness.

Born in San Antonio and raised at La Mota Ranch in Fulfurrias, Texas, he graduated from Fulfurrias High School and came to Princeton after a post-graduate year at Lawrenceville. He majored in Latin American studies, joined Cottage Club, drilled with the ROTC, played football, and rowed as captain of the heavyweight crew.

After graduation Las spent eight months working on a ranch in Brazil until he was called to fulfill his military duty, where he served with a field artillery battery in Panama. Returning to Texas upon discharge, he married Anne Thomas in 1961 and joined the family ranching business in 1962, only to return to Brazil the following year as ranch manager with International Packers. In 1965 he was given responsibility for the Swift-King Ranch joint-venture Brazilian operation, managing 35,000 head of cattle on 147,000 acres. In 1969 he and Anne returned from Brazil, and Las earned a project management in development certification from Harvard Business School. They resettled in Texas, where Las began a career in real-estate development that he pursued until his retirement.

Las is survived by Anne; four children; 12 grandchildren; his brothers Garland ’60 and Ike; and his sister, Peggy. Son Edward died in infancy.