Chester Charles Rasmussen

Charlie Rasmussen of Mission Viejo, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully with his wife at his side on April 12, 2026, at age 93.

Born in a 2-bedroom farmhouse in Exira, Iowa, the third of twelve children to Chester Cole Rasmussen and Clara Kathryn Thielen. Yes, all 12 children were raised in the 2-bedroom home with an outhouse! Charlie’s goal in life was to be a professional baseball player. Pursuing his dream at Buena Vista College and then at ISU, he was known as “Charlie Hustle” for keeping up the spirit of the baseball team and was named the most inspirational player. At ISU, he met the love of his life, Jo Sliss, and abandoned his baseball goal. He pursued an education in veterinary medicine – the one profession he regularly saw practiced during his life on the farm.

Charlie and Jo were eleven days apart in age and were married on Charlie’s Birthday, September 4, 1954. They had seven children, six natural and one adopted, (three boys and four girls). He loved his family and enjoyed playing with all his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Charlie became a small animal veterinarian and moved to Berkeley CA for his first position. He built five veterinary practices: two in San Jose, one in El Dorado Hills, one in Cameron Park and one in Placerville. Jo was his CFO throughout his career.

During their 71 years of marriage, Charlie and Jo lived in four states, and seven cities. They felt that moving around kept them young at heart.

They were instrumental in the founding and development of four Catholic parishes: St. Victor’s in San Jose, CA, Holy Trinity in El Dorado Hills, CA, Holy Apostles in Eagle, ID, and St. Mark’s in Oro Valley, AZ. When they finally arrived in Mission Viejo at age 89, they decided they could “lay low” while St. Kilian’s fundraised and built a new church hall. Charlie & Jo were also very involved in the Marriage Encounter program for many years, presenting at least 60 Marriage Encounter weekend retreats and serving as coordinators for the Northern California region.

After Charlie retired, he became a Deacon in the Catholic Church in 1996. He served at Holy Trinity, Holy Apostles and St. Marks. When Charlie told his mother that he was going to be a deacon, she picked up her rosary and started praying for the church! After his ordination, despite his many urgings, his children and grandchildren refused to call him “Father,” opting to keep the more familiar “Dad” and “Grandpa” with which they’ll always remember him.

Charlie and Jo insisted on a good education for their children, including an international education by taking their children on two pilgrimages to Rome, France and Israel. After their children left home, Charlie and Jo made two more pilgrimages to Medjugorje.

Charlie loved sports, playing baseball and golf and watching baseball and football. He knew all the stats and could describe every golf course he ever played and how the ball lay on every hole in excruciating detail. He was also a great storyteller, relating long involved tales that everyone would believe until he arrived at the punch line. He also retold some favorite stories from his Uncle Frank about Minnesota mosquitos and 3 Indians and one bullet.

Charlie is survived by his wife, Jo; his children: Cathy (John) Baranger of Mission Viejo CA, Chuck Rasmussen of Boise ID, Mary (Jeff) Smith of Scottsdale AZ, John (Sandra) Rasmussen of San Jose CA, Mike (Maria) Rasmussen of Sacramento CA and Tracy Enos of Lee’s Summit MO; 17 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren; siblings: Pat Rice of West Des Moines IA, Marti Kafer of Concord CA, Katie Graff of The Woodlands TX, Gary (Carol Lea) Rasmussen of Exira IA, Frank (Dorothy) Rasmussen of Tempe AZ, and Sheila (Roger) Richards of Dallas TX and sister-in-law Kay Rasmussen of Exira IA.

Charlie was preceded in death by his parents, Chet and Clara Rasmussen; his daughter, Terri Hill; his in-laws, Hugh and Lottie Smith; his siblings and in-laws, Leo and Pat Rasmussen, Dick and Sally Rasmussen, Toni and John Krieger, John and Judy Rasmussen, Mike Rasmussen, and Helen and Phil Mitchell.

On Friday, May 15, 2026, a rosary (10am) and funeral mass (11am) [MDT] will be held at Holy Apostles Church in Boise, ID. The services will also be live-streamed starting 15 minutes before the rosary begins and remains on until the end of the recessional music.

https://www.facebook.com/holyapostles.church/live_videos/

OR https://www.holyapostlesmeridian.net/Mass

OR YouTube: Holy Apostles Meridian, Idaho

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to your local St. Vincent de Paul Society.