Esther Louise Rasmussen

Esther Louise Rasmussen age 89 of Crosby died on September 1, 2013 at the Cuyuna Regional Care Center in Crosby. She was born on April 12, 1924 to Albert and Sara (Schneider) Klukas at the home of her grandparents in Russell, Lyon County, Minnesota. They lived on a farm near Balaton where she attended a country school and graduated from the Balaton High School. After attending a short business course at the Minneapolis Business College, she worked various office positions for an attorney in Dodge Center, Minnesota; Mattson Implement Company and Thorson Construction Company in Balaton. After Roy Rasmussen returned from serving in WWII, they were married on October 26, 1945. They lived in Balaton, where their 3 children were born.

In 1958, they moved to Bay Lake where they owned and operated the White Hawk Store for ten years. The White Hawk became a local gathering place for potlucks, birthdays and Halloween parties, dancing around the posts to jukebox music in the tavern, a place to get gas, bait and a few groceries. Customers became friends. Winters business was slow so Esther continued to hold Tupperware parties where she met other life-long friends. Esther said those 10 years they worked long hard days and never got rich but they were some of the happiest times because she and Roy worked together to make a go of it.

In 1968 the store was sold and they moved to their "dream home" near Placid Lake. During this time Esther worked as a Tupperware sales representative and manager for 26 years. In 1984 she moved to Crosby and opened "Esther's Big Beautiful Fashions" which she operated for 10 years. She was a member of the Crosby Chamber of Commerce, Deerwood Civic League, and Walter Scott Erickson American Legion Auxiliary. She moved to Deerwood in 1991 and retired except for occasional part-time retail and volunteer work. Esther was very involved the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and went on a mission for one year to do family history work in Montgomery, Alabama. Esther moved back to Deerwood where she enjoyed her birds and flowers and loved the part-time work at the True Value garden shop and occasionally helping at the Deerwood Motel. She moved to Heartwood Senior Living in Crosby in 2009.

She is survived by her daughter, Susan Angen of Crosby; 2 sons, Donn Rasmussen of Deerwood and James (Loretta) Rasmussen of Brainerd; 8 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren.

Esther is preceded in death by her husband, Roy Rasmussen; her parents; 3 brothers, Marlo , Lloyd and Richard Klukas 1 sister, Kathryn Klukas and 1 grandchild David Lee Rasmussen.

Funeral services will be 11 am on Friday, September 6, 2013 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints in Aitkin. Burial will be at the Bay Lake Cemetery in Bay Lake Township. Friends may call on at the Koop Funeral Home on Thursday from 5 to 7 pm and on Friday 1 hour prior to the services at the church on Friday. Arrangements are with the Koop Funeral Home in Crosby.