Virginia Rasmussen
Virginia L. (Banaka) Holland Rasmussen was born Dec. 7, 1946, to Harold Wayne and Jennie Virginia (Elder) Banaka in Imperial, Nebraska. She died and entered into eternal life at the age of 72 on Feb. 12, 2019, at Hillcrest Care Center in Wray after a short battle with cancer.
She grew up in northeast Yuma County on the family farm. She was the oldest of three girls. She went to elementary school a mile from home at the one-room Cement School. She then went to high school in Holyoke and graduated with the Class of ’64.
In 1969 she married Marion Charles Holland, and to this union two girls were born: Shawn and Teresa. In July of ’79, she lost her husband and moved her family back to Holyoke to be closer to her parents.
She worked hard to support her girls, working at Montgomery Ward for several years and then at the Hardware Hank store, both in Holyoke. She also helped her parents on the farm when needed. She loved to attend any of her girls’ activities.
In August of ’86 she was re-introduced to her high school crush, Wayne Rasmussen, at the county fair in Holyoke. She said she had always wished he’d have asked her out. On Oct. 18, 1986, she and Wayne were married. This added four more children to the family: Terri, Kathy, Wayne and Roxanna.
Virginia and Wayne lived out east of Wray on the farm for many years. They raised every animal possible, between sheep, pigs, horses, cattle and lots of chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and any other critters they could think of.
While Wayne worked for Deschamps and later Monfort, Virginia worked for Engel Meat Packing and took care of the animals on the farm. She enjoyed sewing and gardening and could literally throw seed on the ground and grow anything. Her love for these and cooking she passed on to her kids and grandkids. They sold the farm and moved to town in 2000.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Jennie Banaka; father-in-law, Orval Rasmussen; mother-in-law, Ruby Rasmussen-McCallum; first husband, Marion Holland; daughter-in law, Janet Rasmussen; and son-in-law, Brad Sharp.
She is survived by her loving husband of 32 years, Wayne Rasmussen of Wray; her children, Shawn Holland and partner Robin of Centennial, Teresa and Craig Kramer of Holyoke, Terri and Clifford Russell of Wray, Kathy and Eric “Whitey” Anderson of Vernon, Wayne and Kim Rasmussen of Cleveland, Oklahoma, and Roxanna and Juan Chavez of Sterling; sisters, Nancy and Gary Hartman of Henderson, Nevada, and Connie and Richard Murdie of Gunnison; son-in-law, Sid Lindley of Wray; 19 grandkids, Caitlyn and James, Kelsey and Joe, Cavin and Olivia, Cody, Rodney, Jonathon and Payten, Jose and Elaina, Ashley and Derek, Samantha and Christy, Amanda and Rhett, Tyleler and Kailee, Alexis and David, Janessa and Hunter, Brendon, Paedon, Gage, Landon, Brittney, and Chloe; 11 great-grandkids, Abby, Owen, Dante, Nova, Asher, Greyson, Bexley, Alexis, Junior, Bradley and Kynzlee, and three the family has yet to meet; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
A memorial service was scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 20, at 10 a.m. at Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home in Wray, with Pastor Ben Wentworth officiating. A private family inurnment will be held at Grandview Cemetery in Wray.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Plains, P.O. Box 365, Wray, CO 80758.
Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements.