Gale Rasmusson died Monday, November 28, 2011 at United Hospital in St. Paul. Memorial Funeral Service is Saturday, DECEMBER 10, 2011 at 11 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church. Visitation is from 9 until 11 a.m. at church prior to the service. Please note: Service is Saturday, DECEMBER 10.
Gale Rasmusson, age 82, of Spring Valley, Wisconsin died suddenly on Monday, November 28, 2011 at United Hospital, St. Paul, Minnesota
Gale was born June 27, 1929 to Edgar and Clara (Petrick) Rasmusson in Dunn Township, Menomonie, Wisconsin. He attended country school at Elk Creek and Menomonie Aggie. Gale started his working career at the age of 15 when he went to work for Bark's Bakery in Menomonie. He owned his first bakery in Glenwood City and operated it for about 18 years.
He operated and managed a number of different bakeries in Balsam Lake, Luck, Barron and Osseo. He took a 5 year break from the bakery business to farm but went back to what he enjoyed most, operating a bakery. He purchased Hanson's Bakery in Spring Valley and has operated the Spring Valley Bakery since 1981. He also operated the Cardinal Café in Spring Valley for a short time.
Gale married Norma Jean Wood on June 19, 1947 at Cedar Falls, Wisconsin. They had 4 children together: Douglas, Sharon, Susan, and Gayla. The marriage ended in divorce. On September 29, 1973 Gale married Lorraine Holmes at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. Lorraine died several years later.
Gale was well known and liked in the community. He was known for his famous one liners. One of his most memorable was on windy days. With a straight face, he would often say: "it's too windy to haul rock." Gale was the 13
th
child in a family of 13, and a baker's dozen is 13.
Preceding him in death were his parents; 2 infant sons: Todd Allen and Michael John; 4 brothers and 7 sisters: Harry (Ruby) Rasmusson, Ralph (Tina) Rasmusson, George (Elizabeth) Rasmusson, Bert Rasmusson, Mae (Helmer) Severson, Helen (Allen) Kuester, Millie (Guy) Hammond, Ruth (Kenneth) Lehman, and infant sisters Inez and Margaret Rasmusson; brother-in-law Marvin Smith; and granddaughter Amanda Mattison.
Survivors include his special friend Kathy Roatch of Spring Valley; his 4 children: Douglas (Sulvie) Rasmusson of France; Sharon (Steve) Kahler of Glenwood City; Susan (Rick) McKeever of Baldwin; and Gayla (Dan) Hanson of Eleva; 11 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; 1 sister Lil Smith of Menomonie; sister-in-law Inez Rasmusson of Menomnie; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Memorial funeral service is on Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John's Lutheran Church, Spring Valley with Rev. Erin Nelson officiating. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. until 11:00 at the church prior to the service. Linda Anderson will be organist.
