Robert Allan Rasmussen

2025. He was born December 5th, 1928 in Buffalo, ND to Holger and Elizabeth (Gottschalk)

Rasmussen. The family moved to Mt. Vernon, WA in 1942. He enlisted in the Army in 1946.

He served 18 months in the European Reconstruction process. Then 2 years in the South

Pacific as a crane operator for the atomic testing program on the South Pacific Islands

where he began his love of warm weather.

He married Lucille Fenimore May 1st, 1946. They were married 48 years before Lucille's

passing in 1994.

After Bob returned from the service, he went to work for Emil Youngquist's dairy in Mt.

Vernon, WA. In 1960 Bob and Lucille began Stillaguamish Farms in Stanwood, WA. It was

here that one of the first Herringbone milking parlors in the state was built. In June 1968

the dairy and family were moved to Satus (Granger) WA, lock, stock, dairy cows, 1 dog and 2 cats. The cows were milked at the Stanwood end and were immediately loaded on the trucks and when they got off the truck at the Satus side they were milked again.

Bob loved the warmer, drier climate for the dairy. He developed an exceptional registered Holstein

dairy herd and regularly showed them at fairs throughout Washington State bringing home

many purple ribbons and trophies. He was active in the Washington State Holstein

Association and was also on the fair board of the Yakima Valley Jr. Fair as Dairy

Superintendent. In 1977 they were awarded Yakima Valley Dairy Family of the Year and that

same year were awarded Washington State Dairy Family of the Year. In 1979 the dairy and

cattle were sold, and they began a new adventure in the produce business - cucumbers,

onions, peppers, etc.-and were pioneers of drip irrigation in the Yakima Valley.

Bob and Lucille began to travel south during the winter months until Mom's death in 1994.

But Bob continued to go South and purchased a home in Indio, CA. In 2017 he met Tona

Dorr and they were married in August 2018. They continued to travel between Yakima and

Indio until his death.

Bob is survived by his wife Tona. His five children, Steve (Terry) of Issaquah, Greg (Joel) of

Granger, Rich (Pat) of Yakima, Diane (Dave) Pearson of Granger and Mary (Bobby)

VandeGraaf of Yakima. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and

4 great-great grandchildren. Two sisters, Anolea (Sissy) and Bettye and one brother, Donn

and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his first wife Lucille, and

grandson Aaron VandeGraaf, three brothers, Raymond (Bud), Kenneth, and Aaron (Jr.) and

one sister, Francis.

These are only the highlights of a beautiful life and we invite friends and family to a

memorial celebration for our Dad on July 20th, 2025 from 1-3pm at Spring Creek Ranch in

Union Gap to share your memories of him.

A celebration of life for Robert will be held Wednesday, July 16, 2025 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Wiley Union Church, 2711 Wiley Rd, Yakima, WA 98903.