Clair Ann Rasmussen

Our dear wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, Clair Ann Wright Rasmussen, 82, of San Jose, California, passed from this earthly life on Thursday, June 30, 2022, at 2:30 p.m. in the Santa Clara, California Kaiser Hospital with her husband, Arlan, and her two daughters, Jennifer Rasmussen Parent and Jill Rasmussen Johnson, by her side. This just happened to be the same hospital location where all of her children were born. She was born to Elliott Scoville Wright and Grace Nelson at McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah, on May 15, 1940. At age 27, she married her sweetheart of 3 years, Arlan Rasmussen, in the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 28, 1967.

Clair Ann grew up in Ogden, Utah, as an only daughter with an older brother, Nelson, and a younger brother, Dennis. She attended Weber State University, later transferring to graduate from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, in elementary education with a minor in music. She went on to do graduate work in music at BYU, being an important accompanist for many choirs and individual vocalists. She served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the Central British Mission during the years of 1961-1963. She served in Warwickshire, Birmingham, Redditch, Cheshire and Peterborough areas. She sang in the Tabernacle Choir in the mid-1960's from ages 24 to 27, traveling the world on choir tours. She was teaching elementary school in Ogden when she met Arlan at a party on August 11, 1964. After they married, they moved to San Jose, California, where she continued to teach K-2, mostly first grade, for almost 40 years, starting at Strawberry Park, and spending most of her career at Anderson Elementary School in the Moreland School District. She earned her Master's Degree in Education Administration when she was in her early 60's. She retired in 2003.

Even though her main profession was in education, she integrated serving through music in many areas of her life. She accompanied for musical numbers in church meetings, wedding celebrations and funerals. She played the organ for church meetings. She accompanied for many musicals and roadshows for church, at local high schools as well as at the Country School of Almaden’s summer programs in which her girls participated. She helped to write and arrange music to help teach her elementary school students to read and for preschool learning environments. She taught piano and voice lessons at different times in her life. She loved having her family gather around in her living room as she played Chopin or accompanying us as we sang Christmas carols. She also was a talented artist. She illustrated several children’s books written for her classroom or for her friends who were fellow creators.

Clair Ann and Arlan moved into their first and only home in 1968, and they started attending the 7th Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints that has always met in the Kirk and Noreen Building in San Jose. Clair Ann served in many capacities in the 7th Ward throughout her 54 years as part of her church congregation that later became known as the Cambrian Park Ward, including the Primary President of the children’s organization, a visiting teacher, pianist, organist, and was serving as the music coordinator at her life’s end.

Clair Ann lost the fight to nine hard and painful years of health challenges. Yet, she faced them with humor, thoughtfulness towards others, prolific, meaningful writings on Facebook, generosity, focus on her loved ones and grandchildren, tenacity, and 100% devotion to worrying and caring about her husband, her children, their spouses, her grandchildren and everyone around her. She could make a friend with any stranger. She gave to everyone, often anonymously and freely. She ALWAYS remembered special occasions with handwritten cards and always wrote thank you notes. Even though she was restricted mostly to a recliner chair almost 24/7, she ministered and served others through phone calls, letters and visits with people who came to see her. She was always available to her children by phone at many hours of the day or night. She supported, encouraged and helped others to keep life in perspective and light-hearted. She loved sharing children's books and finding educational and or engaging toys with her many grandchildren when they were young and came to visit.

She had a strong testimony of her Savior, Jesus Christ, and was always reaching out to uplift her children, grandchildren, missionaries and friends through sharing spiritual thoughts and experiences from her life. She could quote from memory sayings that her father had shared with her to help strengthen those who were suffering physically, mentally or emotionally in life. She was so grateful for the legacy and strength demonstrated through her family lines of pioneer heritage. She loved to regularly share these stories with her children and grandchildren to try and encourage us to honor those who came before us for their hard work and moral character. She loved arranging for family reunions every two years at WorldMark resorts, so her posterity could develop strong bonds.

Clair Ann is survived by her husband, Arlan, and children Jennifer (Nathan) Parent of Mesa, AZ, Jill (David) Johnson of Highland, UT, Michael (Rebecca) Rasmussen of Tooele, UT, 11 grandchildren, and her sibling, Dr. Nelson (Nancy) Wright of Salt Lake City, UT. She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Dennis (Carolyn) Wright, and her newborn son, Jeffrey Arlan Rasmussen.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 9th, 2022 at 2:00 p.m., at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1655 Noreen Drive, San Jose, CA 95124, followed by a gathering of family and friends immediately after the service. Friends and family are also invited to attend a graveside service on Saturday, July 23, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuary, at 3401 South Highland Drive, Millcreek, UT 84106.

In lieu of flowers, please contribute to the humanitarian fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.