Kurt Wassèn Obituary

Kurt Olof Wassèn CHARLESTON - Kurt Olof Wassèn, 94, passed away on April 22, 2024, in Charleston, SC. Kurt was born October 15, 1929, in Kingston, NY, the only child of Kurt Wassèn and Gertrude Middower Wassèn. He grew up in Wilmington, DE, and graduated from Tower Hill School in 1947 and from Lafayette College, Easton, PA, where he received a BS in Engineering in 1951 and was a member of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. He married Joan Chavannes Wappler of Rutherford, NJ, in February of 1952, and then served nearly two years in Korea as an officer in the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps. He then attended the Harvard Business School and received an MBA in 1955. He joined Westvaco Corporation, in Covington, VA, in 1955; then spent four years in Richmond, VA, as General Manager of the Milk Carton Division before being transferred in 1974 to Summerville, SC, where he spent 20 years as President of Westvaco Development Corporation. Kurt was an avid tournament tennis player as well as USTA tennis official for 30 years, working the U.S. Open for 10 years. He was Chairmen of SC Officials for 15 years until 2011. Over the years, he chaired exhibition matches for Ken Rosewall, Rod Laver, Jimmie Connors, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, and Jim Courier. Kurt was predeceased by his beloved wife of 69 years, Joan Wappler Wassèn. He is survived by daughters, Judy Ann W. Radford, of Pinehurst, NC; Carolyn W. Craig (Mark) of Summerville, SC; Jane W. Wassèn of Easley, SC; and son, Kurt O. Wassèn, Jr. (Lisa) of Shelby, NC. He is also survived by grandchildren, Davis W. Craig (Savannah) of Johns Island, SC, and Allison C. Craig of Summerville, SC. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 pm., Friday, April 26, 2024, at the Bishop Gadsden Chapel, 1 Bishop Gadsden Way, Charleston, SC 29412. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Bishop Gadsden's Resident's Assistance Fund, 1 Bishop Gadsden Way, Charleston, SC 29412, 843-779-1809, bishopgadsden.org. Arrangements have been entrusted to McAlister-Smith Funeral and Cremation, 347 Folly Road, Charleston, SC 29412, 843-614-8494.