Donald Edward Rasmussen

Memorial services Donald Rasmussen of Morris will be held Friday, February 10, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. at Faith Lutheran Church in Morris, with Pastor Emmy Swedlund officiating. A public visitation will take place one hour prior to services at the church.

Donald Edward Rasmussen was born to Frieda (Bihrle) and Edward Rasmussen on July 1, 1934 in Milbank, South Dakota. The youngest of four children, the family would soon relocate to a dairy farm north of New York Mills, Minnesota, in 1935. Don attended public school in New York Mills, finishing the tenth grade.

After leaving school, Don enlisted in the United States Army, serving from 1953 to 1957, and enjoyed a variety of employment opportunities – from owning a couple of construction and repair companies to driving school buses. During his working years he would also work on the railroad, own a shoe repair shop, manage a filling station, run his painting business specializing in houses and barns, as well as work as an auto mechanic in several shops.  

On April 3, 1954, Don married Ruby Mindermann. During their twenty-two-year marriage, four children were born: Ricky, Becky, Donna, and Brenda. Donald was a wonderful father and grandfather, so it wasn’t surprising that he would welcome the opportunity to become a step-father and grandfather to Janet Stadtler’s family when the two married on May 29, 1999.

Donald loved spending time with his family. He was charming and charismatic, and a little bit of a jokester. He enjoyed spending time in the woods, feeding and watching the birds and squirrels, watching old westerns, reading his Bible, dancing, and solving word-find puzzles.

On January 2, 2023, Don moved to the nursing home in Frazee, Minnesota due to his rapidly declining health. He was admitted to Sanford Hospital in Fargo on January 28 and passed away February 3, 2023; he was 88 years old.

Left to cherish Donald’s memory are his wife, Janet Rasmussen of Morris; daughters: Becky (Kevin) Lundgren of Frazee, Donna (Larry) Galbrecht of Frazee, and Brenda (Paul) Montgomery of Mesquite, NV; daughter-in-law, Diana Rasmussen of Moorhead; step-children: Bryan Stadtler of Forest Lake, Barb (Jim) Ascheman of Park Rapids, Paul (Julie) Stadtler of Battle Lake; nine grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; fifteen great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; sister, Alvera Mindermann;. He is preceded in death by his parents; son, Ricky Rasmussen; sisters: Claretta (Gerald) Matti, Arles (Martin) Kumpula; and brother-in-law: Harold Mindermann.