Richard ‘Dick’ Rasmussen

Aug. 30, 1930 – Jan. 17, 2024

Richard “Dick” Rasmussen passed on January 17, 2024, at New Horizon’s Care Center in Lovell. 

Dick was born in Hailey, North Dakota, on August 30, 1930. Then in 1935, during the Great Depression, he moved to Hettinger, North Dakota, with his mother, Esther, father, Tom, and older brother Lowell. 

His brother was called to serve during World War II. Since Dick didn’t like school, at the age of 16 he began his career as a mechanic and heavy equipment operator, working for various road construction companies. Later, Dick served in the Korean War from 1951 to 1953 as a supply truck driver, heavy equipment operator and mechanic for the motor pool. 

After the war, Dick met his wife to be, Sophie Holz, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. They were married in 1956. Dick then took a job with Rohr Aircraft in Chula Vista, California. While there, they had their first daughter, Diane, and second daughter, Linda. Getting tired of the lifestyle of the West Coast, Dick packed up the family and moved to Frannie in 1962, amid a record winter storm with temperatures in the negative 20s. His third daughter, Joyce, was later born in 1965.

While in Frannie, Dick worked numerous jobs as a mechanic and heavy equipment operator for Warren Rock Quarry, Conoco gas station owner, Lovell sugar factory, Muller Construction and lastly American Colloid. 

In 1993, his wife of 37 years, Sophie, passed away. Dick retired from Colloid the following year and began working part-time with his family at Wagner Farms and Bryant Wedin Trucking.

Dick is survived by his three grandchildren, Dustin (Ali) Wagner, Dani (Colter) VanLake and Devan (Tawna) Wagner; 11 great-grandchildren; daughters Diane (Daren) Wagner and Joyce (John) Stillwell; and son-in-heart Bryant (Sherrie) Wedin.

Services will be held January 27 at 10 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lovell, with burial immediately following at the Deaver-Frannie Cemetery.