Clair L Rasmussen

Clair L. Rasmussen, age 68, died suddenly at his home in Cottonwood, Arizona on Tuesday, February 4th, 2025.He was born May 17, 1956, in the Logan LDS Hospital, Cache Valley, Utah. He was the youngest of Bernice Larsen Rasmussen’s and Max Jay Rasmussen’s five children. Clair led a colorful life. As a young man, he was popular at parties for singing while playing his guitar. An entrepreneur from his youth, he created and/or managed multiple businesses, including an herb, grain and coffee shop, a leather shop, a scrimshaw business, and two jewelry stores.In 1975, he founded The Straw Ibis Herb & Grain Co. Upstairs at 139 North Main, Logan, Utah. The shop would allow him the time to pursue painting and drawing in various media. A year later, The Straw Ibis moved to 19 West 1st North, Logan. He sold Straw Ibis in 1979, and the buyers renamed it Caffe Ibis and moved to its current location on Federal Avenue and Church Street.Clair used the proceeds to travel to Ireland, hoping to continue his art there. When he realized that would not work out, he returned to the states, and started selling leather goods and scrimshaw in Jackson, Hole, Wyoming at his store Leather, Etc.The first piece of jewelry he made was a scrimshaw portrait of a woman etched on ivory. This was the beginning of a new phase in his life. Moving back to Utah, he organized and trained a group of artists to do scrimshaw and later ran Front & Center (formerly Leather Etc.) a store selling jewelry, gifts and fine leather.His next venture was to learn to repair and create jewelry, becoming a skilled Goldsmith and designer. The next big move was to Arizona, where he would spend the rest of his life. He had two custom jewelry and repair shops: Oasis Custom Jewelry in West Sedona from 1984 until 1987 and his final store, Magenta Jewelry in Old Town Cottonwood, 1027 N. Main.Clair had many intellectual and creative outlets, including a file of poems that recently surfaced. His artwork and photography, particularly of local Cache Junction scenes, brought pleasure to his family. He was a loyal friend, had a wicked sense of humor and was a great storyteller. Clair is survived by his siblings, Wendell D. Rasmussen, Maxine Hanson and Rhonda Fleming, and by a brother-in-law, nieces, nephews and grand-nephews. He was preceded in death by his oldest brother, Rex Jay Rasmussen. The family will be having a private ceremony in Cottonwood at a later date.