John Kassebaum Obituary

John Philip Kassebaum Mt. Pleasant - Phil died peacefully in his sleep Sunday, February 28, 2016. He was 83 years old. Phil was born on October 24, 1932 in Kansas City, MO. He was preceded in death by his parents Leonard Charles and Helen Horn Kassebaum and his son Richard Landon Kassebaum. He is survived by his wife of 40 years Llewellyn Hood Kassebaum, his sons John Philip Kassebaum, Jr. of Mount Pleasant and William Alfred Kassebaum (Jennifer) of Burdick, KS, his daughter Dr. Linda Kassebaum Johnson of Denver, CO, his step daughter Llewellyn Huger Sinkler (Oscar Shamamian) of New York City, his step sons George Dana Sinkler, Jr. (Elizabeth) of Mount Pleasant, James Marshall Sinkler (Carline) of San Rafael, CA, and Huger Sinkler II (Michelle) of Mount Pleasant, his sister Linda Kassebaum Jensen (Richard) of Prairie Village, KS, his seven grandchildren John Philip Kassebaum III and Elizabeth Heyward Kassebaum of Mount Pleasant, Theo McLeod Kassebaum and Nellie Landon Kassebaum of Burdick, KS and Kristian Philip Johnson of Hong Kong, Margaret Theo Johnson of New York City and Elsa Dreste Johnson of Brisbane, AUS, and his nine step grandchildren Llewellyn Kittredge Shamamian and Isabel Chanler Shamamian of New York City, Judith Legare Sinkler and Alida Canfield Sinkler of Mount Pleasant, Haley Alexandra Fuller-Sinkler, James Marshall Fuller-Sinkler and Kenzie Ryan of San Rafael, CA and Peter Marshall Sinkler and Anna Huger Sinkler of Mount Pleasant. Phil earned his undergraduate degree from University of Kansas where he was president of Phi Delta Theta. He earned his Juris Doctorate at University of Michigan School of Law. Phil was a revered and generous patron of the arts. He served as president of the Spoleto Festival USA and president of the Gibbes Museum of Art. He was also a prominent and passionate collector of tin-glazed ceramics. A portion of his collection is published in The John Philip Kassebaum Collection, Volume One. Phil collected the extraordinary and the ordinary. To see his collection of ceramics along side his collection of thousands of bachelor buttons that he hunted at low tide on Sullivan's Island was to bear witness to his deep connection to the world's beauty and wonder. Phil was a devout member of Saint Philip's Church. There he took great delight in acting as "church mouse," enthralling tourists with his deep knowledge of the church's history and architecture. Above all, Phil was a gentleman dedicated to his family and friends and everlastingly gracious, tender and kind. He will be deeply missed. A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 3, 2016 at J. HENRY STUHR, INC., DOWNTOWN CHAPEL, 232 Calhoun Street, Charleston, from 4pm -6pm EST. A funeral service will be held at Saint Philip's Church in Charleston at 3pm EST on Friday, March 4th. Burial will follow in the Saint Philip's cemetery. Thereafter a reception will be held at the Saint Philip's Parrish Hall. Donations may be made to Saint Philip's Church, 142 Church Street, Charleston, SC 29401. A memorial message may be sent to the family by visiting our website at www.jhenrystuhr.com. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston