Fredrick S Rasmussen

Frederick Simon Rasmussen passed away on July 28, 2014 in Monticello, Minnesota and was born August 28, 1929, the second son of Ray L. Rasmussen and Lillian M. (Wuis) Rasmussen, near Fennville, Michigan. He was a 1947 graduate of Saugatuck High School and attended Michigan State College. On February 4, 1950, he and Bernice A. Stiles were united marriage in St. Petersburg, Florida. They were married for over 56 years. In 1951 Dad took Mom back to his home state of Michigan, where their two sons were born and raised. In his 20s and early 30s Dad was chief accountant of Heating Acceptance Corporation, a subsidiary of Holland Furnace Company, in Holland, Michigan. In 1963 he moved his family to Lansing, where he worked for the Michigan Farm Bureau and later as membership director of the Michigan State Chamber of Commerce. In 1971 he and Bernice returned to St. Petersburg, where in 1975 he opened Rasmussen Accounting and Tax Service, which he operated for the next 30 years. Dad's great avocation was his singing. He had a magnificent tenor voice. He sang in church choirs as lead tenor for many years and semi-professionally in a number of venues. The last time he sang in public was at the age of 81. Dad came to faith in Christ as a youth. For about 25 years he and Mom were members of Faith Covenant Church of St. Petersburg, where they grew greatly in their faith. Most recently Dad has enjoyed the Christian fellowship and love of Bethany Bible Church in Big Lake, Minnesota. Dad and Mom lived in St. Petersburg until 2006, when they moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she passed on October 1, 2006. He lived for two years in Fresno, California, and moved to Monticello, Minnesota late in 2011. Dad pursued excellence, integrity, and service in his music as well as in his business. His joyful demeanor and his interest in people of every background delighted those who knew him. His devotion to Bernice, the love of his life, who experienced difficult health for much of their marriage, was an inspiration to his sons. Above all, his faith in Christ and his encouragement to us in our walk with the Lord, remains his greatest legacy.