Myrna Marie Kersey

Myrna Marie Kersey passed onto her heavenly reward on October 18, 2021. Faith and family were of utmost importance to her. As a devout Lutheran, she was a member of the Resurrection Lutheran Church congregation in Colorado Springs, Colorado for nearly 50 years. As a wife, mother, grandma, sister, cousin, aunt, friend, and a good Christian, she had a great sense of humor and was generous with love and kindness.

Myrna Marie was born to Elliott and Amanda Rasmussen in Atlantic, Iowa, on May 7, 1940; she was the oldest of eight children. Her family moved frequently - mostly throughout western Iowa - but they also lived in the Solvang/Lompoc area of California for a short time. Myrna attended 13 different schools before graduating high school in Wiota, Iowa in 1958. The constant change and need to adapt to new surroundings may have been one of the reasons why she enjoyed traveling and adventure later in life.

In the late 1960s, she headed for Colorado Springs, Colorado, where her brother Ron and a few of her relatives from Iowa lived. Through them, she met Richard (from Guthrie Center, Iowa) and they married in 1972; two years later Kimberly was born followed by Jeffrey in 1977. Richard and Myrna worked very hard to support the family but shared their love of nature through many camping trips to the Sangre de Cristo mountains as well as trips to other scenic and historical places in Colorado. Extended family from Iowa also joined the Kersey’s on many of these outings. The Kersey’s also traveled “home” to Iowa each summer to visit their large extended families. Myrna’s sense of adventure did not diminish as Kim and Jeff grew older and left home; the family continued their travels to remote places and National Parks in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. They also frequently traveled alone with their young grandson Ethan.

Myrna worked as a grocery clerk with Safeway for over 25 years. With her friendly and easy-going personality, she made many lifelong friends with coworkers and the customers she served. She particularly enjoyed the older customers and would love to joke with them to bring smiles to their faces. Active in her church community for many years, she found even more ways to serve after retiring from Safeway by volunteering with a Lutheran braille organization to assist the blind and became involved in the Altar Guild and finance committee.

Health issues started to emerge in 2000 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Treatment was successful, but recovery was lengthy and difficult. However, with ambition and support of family and friends, she eventually recovered and returned to doing the things she enjoyed with her family, friends, and church. In 2005, Myrna and Richard travelled to Hawaii to see Jeff compete and win a national brick mason apprentice competition. From 2005 to 2008, trips to Texas and California to visit Kim and Dan and travels to see family in Iowa and South Dakota were many, and frequent summer camping and fishing adventures with Richard, Jeff, and Ethan resumed. Within the last 10 years, Myrna’s health and mobility deteriorated significantly, but she remained in good spirits and her faith remained strong. Through these last difficult years of her life, Richard took great care of Myrna and tended to all her needs.

Myrna is survived by her husband Richard; children Kim Kintz (husband Dan) and Jeff Kersey; grandchildren Ethan Kersey (wife Yessenia) and Maximus Kintz; siblings Steve Rasmussen, Lee Rasmussen, Linda Hennick, and David Rasmussen; as well as many nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends.