1939 – 2024
Salina, Utah – Rodney S. Rasmussen, age 85, passed away October 7, 2024, at his home in Salina. He was born August 4, 1939, in Salina, a son of Sharp and Gwendoland Harding Rasmussen. He graduated from North Sevier High School in 1957 and furthered his education at SUU in Cedar City and graduated with a bachelor’s degree.
After college, he moved to Monticello in 1961 to teach school. He taught English, typing and shorthand. He was a businessman in Monticello where he operated a bowling alley, a Dry Cleaner and a burger joint.
He moved back to Salina in 1977 and started working at the Richfield Care Center, where he worked for 27 years.
Rodney was an avid golfer and bowler. He loved watching all the local high school sporting events and was a big supporter of the North Sevier Wolves. That led him to volunteering his time as a score keeper and videoing numerous school sporting events and would give player highlights of their games. This was a start to all of his community service that he loved. He served the people of the North Sevier area for many years, through his callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in the Salina Lions Club, at Miss Marys’ Museum and the CCC Camp. In 2017 and 2018 Rodney received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award for the Community signed by then Pres. Donald Trump.
Rodney loved the holidays, especially Christmas, where he spent months planning and installing Christmas displays and lights. He invited all to come for a walk through his yard and enjoy his Christmas decorations. For many years, people would come from all over the valley to see his lights and Christmas decorations.
Some of his favorite times were in the mountains camping with his family, fishing, riding his Razor and photographing wildlife and mountain flowers.
Rodney is survived by his nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Sharp and Gwendoland Rasmussen; his siblings: Gwen and Karl Hallows, Roween and Johnney Greene, Verl and Naoma Rasmussen.
Private family services were held, and burial was in the Salina Pioneer Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.
Online guest book at: www.springerturner.com
