Donald E. Rasmussen

Donald E. Rasmussen, 94, a loving husband, father, grandpa, great grandpa, brother and friend, passed away August 11, 2015.  He was born April 13, 1921, the youngest of nine children born to Erastus and Mary Petersen Rasmussen, in Castledale, Utah.

As a young boy, Donald loved to ride his horse, "Tops," through the countryside surrounding Castledale, up into Joe's Valley, enjoyed playing tennis, horseshoes and basketball. He graduated from Central High School. At 18 he joined the Army and served his country fighting in World War II for 4 years.  Donald served in the 515th Field Artillery Battalion, where he received multiple ribbons and medals of Honor for his mechanic badge, tank driving and carbine sharpshooting.

After he returned home from the war he enjoyed going to the dance halls in the Salt Lake area.  At a dance hall is where he met a beautiful young lady by the name of Elda Dansie.  That meeting became a lifelong love affair. Donald and Elda where married in the Salt Lake LDS Temple November 18, 1948 and shared their lives together for 65 years.

Donald always said that a handshake was a man's word. And he lived by that without fail. He was a hard worker and conscientious about providing for his family.  Most of his working years he had 2 jobs.  Donald's main job was at Kennecott Copper where he worked for 35 years and retired in 1987.  His real passion was his second job doing auto body work and because he was so meticulous he was highly sought after in the community. He started his own auto body shop in 1968, called Don's Auto Body that he operated for nearly 20 years.  When he retired he enjoyed being a cattle rancher with his son Gary raising Limousin cattle, playing horseshoes and watching basketball.

He was a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, had a strong testimony, served faithfully in many callings and loved going to the Temple up to the last month of his life.

He is survived by his daughters Renae (Doug) Nilsson, Debra (Dan) Simons, daughter-in-law Colleen Nielsen Rasmussen, 9 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.  Preceded in death by his wife, Elda D. Rasmussen and son, Gary D. Rasmussen.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2015, 11:00 am, at the LDS Chapel, 8950 South 400 East, Sandy, UT.  Viewings will be held Friday, August 21st from 6:00-8:00 pm at Goff Mortuary, 8090 S. State Street, Midvale, Utah, and Saturday from 10:00-10:45 am at the Chapel. Interment at Sandy City Cemetery. Online condolences at http://www.goffmortuary.com/Online-Condolences.html .