Roger F. Rasmussen

Roger F. Rasmussen, 90, of Forest Lake, formerly of Willmar, died Monday, March 30th at his home.   A Memorial Mass will be held 11 am, Tuesday, July 14th at Church of St. Mary.  Burial was in Ft. Snelling National Cemetery.  Military Honors will be immediately following the service outside the church.  .  Funeral arrangements are with Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar.  www.hafh.org. Memorials are preferred to: St. Croix Hospice, 7755 3rd St No, Suite #200, Oakdale, MN. 55128.  

Roger was born September 30, 1929, in Bertha, Minnesota, the son of Otto and Vivian (Rogers) Rasmussen.  He lived in Eagle Bend until moving to Biscay in 1936 where the family lived until 1943.  They lived for a short time in Owatonna and New Richland before settling in Osakis where he graduated in 1947.

On October 5, 1950, he was united in marriage to Dolores Kemper in Osakis.  They lived in Osakis when he enlisted in the United States Navy in May of 1951.  While he was serving in the Navy, they lived in Newport, RI.  Following his discharge in 1955, he enrolled at Valley City State University in Valley City, ND, earning his Bachelor’s Degree in 1958.    He taught at Boyd, MN, from 1958-1962 and in Pine River from 1962-1964.  It was during this time he earned his Master’s Degree from South Dakota State University. In 1964, Roger and Delores moved to Willmar and he began his career at Willmar Technical Institute, retiring in 1989.

He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Faith and since moving to Willmar has been a member of Church of St. Mary where he served as a reader, was active with the Renew Committee and Personnel Committee during the 1980’s.  He was also a member of the American Legion and Elks.

Surviving are his children: Steven (and Jean) Rasmussen of Forest Lake; Gary (and Dianne) Rasmussen of White Bear Lake; Cheryl (and Scott) Bakken of Lindstrom; Ann (and Marty) Sonnek of Wyoming, MN; Rolf (and Chery) Rasmussen of Willmar; 11 grandchildren; two step grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Also surviving are his brother, Rolland Rasmussen of Columbus, NC and sister, Darlene Granlund of Port Angles, WA.

He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Dolores, on January 31, 2019.

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