Nancy Rasmussen

Nancy (Schmitz) Rasmussen was born in Missoula, Montana to Clement and Marie Schmitz. Both of her parents grew up in Montana and her father worked as an electrical engineer for Mountain Bell Telephone Company. Her father’s job forced the family to move between Missoula and Helena several times until they finally settled in Helena when she was about eight years old where she grew up and graduated from Cathedral High School in 1966. Following high school, she attended Kinman Business University in Spokane, and a few months after graduating, she married Joe Rasmussen. They settled for a short time in Missoula but returned to Spokane where she worked to help her husband get an engineering degree from Gonzaga University in 1974. They then moved to Walla Walla where Joe worked for more than thirty years for the Army Corps of Engineers and the US Department of Energy. Except for a year in Idaho Falls on a construction project, she had lived in Walla Walla for over fifty years. Nancy was able to be a stay at home wife and mother for a number of years, but she eventually went to work at the Walla Walla Community College to help get her children through college.

Nancy enjoyed being outdoors and looked forward to the summer camping trips and ATV riding with friends and exploring the National Parks and anywhere new in the Pacific Northwest. Even though she could not swim, she loved being at the ocean and visited the Oregon Coast and Hawaii quite often.

Nancy’s family was the greatest gift in her life, and she raised three loving children and taught them the values she grew up with. She is survived by her husband, a daughter, Rebecca (Larry), two sons, Matt (Marty) and Adam (Dawn), three grandchildren, two brothers, and numerous nieces and nephews. Nancy had a lifetime of wonderful memories to celebrate and was a kind and loving person who easily made friends where ever she went.

Nancy passed away peacefully at the age of 77 on November 15, 2025, surrounded by loved ones. A private memorial service for family and close friends will be held on December 6, 2025. Later, a graveside service will be held at Mountain View Cemetery on June 27, 2026, at 10:30am, followed by a Celebration of Life gathering.

Memorial contributions may be made to Assumption Catholic Church or St Jude Children’s Research Hospital or charity of your choice through the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W Alder St, Walla Walla, WA 99362. Friends and family are invited to sign the online guestbook at www.herringgroseclose.com.