Esther Marie Rasmussen

Esther Marie Rasmussen, 82, of Walnut Grove, passed away on Tuesday, October 20, 2015 at Oak Terrace Senior Living in North Mankato. Funeral services will be at 10:30 am on Friday, October 23, 2015 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Walnut Grove. Visitation will be from 5 – 8 pm on Thursday at the Almlie-Horvath Funeral Home in Tracy with a prayer service at 7:30pm. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Interment will be in the Walnut Grove Cemetery. A luncheon will follow the burial at the Walnut Grove Community Center. The Almlie-Horvath Funeral Service of Tracy is caring for the family. Esther Marie Rasmussen was born on January 8, 1933 to Tebbo and Etta (Eucken) Menken in Windom, Minnesota. She was baptized and confirmed at Jeffers United Methodist Church, attended and graduated from Jeffers Public Schools, and studied for a short time at Mankato State University to become an English teacher. On March 8, 1952, Esther was united in marriage to Robert Rasmussen at Trinity American Lutheran Church in Jeffers. They made their home in Jeffers for a short time before moving to a farm 8 ½ miles north of Walnut Grove and eventually settling on their current farm in 1984. After Robert’s death on June 19, 2014, Esther moved to the Country View Assisted Living in Walnut Grove for one month. She then entered St. John’s Lutheran Home in Springfield for 8 months before entering Oak Terrace Senior Living in North Mankato for the remainder of her life. She loved her dogs very much, and also enjoyed baking, especially her famous apple crisp, and farming next to her husband Robert. On Tuesday, October 20, 2015, Esther passed away at the Oak Terrace Senior Living in North Mankato at the age of 82. She is survived by her children Dennis Rasmussen of Walnut Grove, Rose Marie (James) Schmiesing of Lucan, Cathy (Terry) Ochs of Springfield, and daughter-in-law Vicky Rasmussen of Tracy; siblings Richard (Irene) Menken, Elta Barker, Hilda (John) Brand, Elsie Vieregge, Anne (Donald) Roefer, brothers and sisters-in-law Maxine Rasmussen, Marion and Neale Sinclair, Barb Rasmussen, Harlan and Pat Rasmussen, Glennis and Curt Pearson, and Sharon and Tom Yager; 18 grandchildren, 49 great grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is preceded in death by her husband Robert, son Paul, great granddaughter Chazinne Jo Rasmussen-Towne, her parents Tebbo and Etta, and brothers John, Tebbo, Edwin, and George Menken. Blessed be her memory.