Kathlyn “Eileen” Rasmussen, age 89, of Ames, IA, and formerly of rural Scranton, IA, passed away on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at Story County Senior Care in Nevada, IA.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, August 3, 2019 at Pleasant Ridge Evangelical Free Church near Glidden with Pastor Mark Henderson officiating. Casket bearers will be Eileen’s Grandchildren. Burial will be in the Scranton Township Cemetery near Scranton.
Visitation will be held from 5 – 7 P.M. on Friday evening at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Glidden. The casket will be moved to Pleasant Ridge Evangelical Free Church on Saturday morning at 9:30 A.M. where visitation will resume until 10:15 A.M. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Glidden and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com
Eileen was born on February 13, 1930 on her family’s farm near Joice, IA, and was the daughter of Johnny and Anne (Ness) Slattum. She grew up on the farm and attended school in Joice until her sophomore year when she attend Hillcrest Lutheran Academy in Fergus Falls, MN. After her schooling, Eileen worked as a nurse’s aid in a hospital in Minneapolis and later as an elevator operator in a bank. She met Calvin Rasmussen at a winter Bible conference in Minneapolis. They were married on September 2, 1950 at Bethel Lutheran Church in Joice, IA. Eileen lived with a pastor’s family in Enterprise, Alabama, for two years while Calvin served in the Army. After his discharge, they farmed near Sheffield, IA, and Lidderdale, IA, before moving back to the Rasmussen family farm near Scranton where they raised their family. Eileen was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She had a strong faith in her Lord and Savior which she passed along to her children and grandchildren. She was a hardworking farmwife and made sure everyone was well fed and the farm ran smoothly. Eileen truly had a servant’s heart. She enjoyed oil painting, traveling to Arizona with Calvin for 22 winters, and going on missionary trips and cruises. Eileen also enjoyed spending time with her good friend Harold Gilbert.
Eileen is survived by a daughter Julianne Pritchett (Jim) of Ames, IA; a son Kevin Rasmussen (Jean) of Glidden, IA; a daughter Renae Dunkelberger (Dave) of Ames, IA; twelve grandchildren; fourteen great grandchildren; a sister Junice DeGroot (Harm) of Sheffield, IA; a sister-in-law Marlyss Slattum of Orland Park, IL; a brother-in-law John Mehr of Dumfries, VA; three sisters-in-law Julie Rasmussen and Mary Rasmussen of Florida, and Terry Rasmusssen of Britt, IA; and several nieces and nephews.
Eileen was preceded in death by her husband, Calvin in 2010; her parents Johnny and Anne Slattum; her mother and father-in-law Joseph and Anena Rasmussen; two brothers Duane and Arden Slattum; and a daughter-in-law Maureen Rasmussen.
