Virginia "K" Keyes Lasseter died May 12 in her hometown of Murfreesboro, Tenn., at her sister's farm. Lasseter, who was 65, joined Johns Hopkins in 1969 and for the past 20 years had worked in the Epidemiology-Genetics Program in the School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, where she was a genetic analyst.

Having a love of numbers and seeing the beauty in equations, Lasseter saw an opportunity to contribute to a collaborative research program investigating schizophrenia and other chronic psychiatric disorders. Teaching herself statistical genetics and staying abreast of the changing field, she became a valued member of the international community of psychiatric geneticists.

"Needless to say, K's loss to her colleagues and friends at Johns Hopkins is immense," said Ann Pulver, a professor in the Epidemiology-Genetics Program. "Her keen intellect, her love for life, her unlimited energy and her storytelling will be cherished forever."

Lasseter is survived by her daughter, Mercedes Lucia Suarez; her sister, Betsy Lasseter Clark, and her husband, Bill; her brother, Samuel L. Lasseter, and his partner, Dillon Kyle; her brother, Robert C. Lasseter III; her nephews, Richard Keyes Hull and James Longstreet Hull; and her great- nephew, Branson James Hull.

A memorial service will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, May 29, at Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church in Bolton Hill.

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