Phyllis Rasmussen, 92, left her earthly life on Friday, December 29, 2023, and is now reunited with her eternal companion, Frederick A Rasmussen. A funeral service will be held at 12:30 p.m., Monday, January 8 at Church of Jesus Christ- Latter Day Saints with burial to follow at Riverside Cemetery.

She was born March 3, 1931, to Dora Emmons and Mose B. Williamson in Provo, Utah.  She was raised by her maternal grandmother, Mary Ann Emmons and her mother and stepfather, Dora and Harold Hartley.

Phyllis attended elementary, Junior, and Senior High schools in Orem, Utah and graduated from L.D.S. Seminary in 1948 and High School in 1949 and later attended Cosmetology College.

In June of 1952, she met the love of her life, Fred, who had just returned from serving five years in the Army Security Agency during the Korean War.  One year later, on May 8, 1953, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

She and Fred continued living in the Orem/Provo, Utah area while Fred continued his education at Brigham Young University and they became foster parents to an eight-year-old Native American girl, Nelda Joan Honga.  In 1959 they moved to Denver, Colorado and obtained permission to legally adopt Joan.  In 1961 a daughter, Karen, was born to them.  In 1969, Fred's job brought them to Sterling, Colorado.

During their married life, Phyllis worked at times at various jobs: a drug store in Utah, J.C. Penney's and Farmers Union Insurance in Denver and twelve years as a Residence Hall Director at Northeastern Jr. Colling in Sterling.  During this time, she was very active in many callings and building fund projects in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  She also served five years on the Iliff Head Start Grantee Board and as a volunteer in various school libraries.

Fred and Phyllis lived in Sterling and Proctor until 1998, then built a home in Merino, where Fred passed away February 16, 2011.  Phyllis continued living in Merino until October 2023 when she moved to Harmony Home in Sterling.

Phyllis was preceded in death by her beloved companion Fred; daughter Joan Cruz James; brothers James Elwood Hartley and Joseph Williamson; sisters Jennie Merea Mark, Donna Hartley Obray and Carma Beth Burgess; and her parents and grandparents.

She is survived by daughter Karen (C.J.) Loveland of Lakewood, Colorado; five grandchildren Lisa Sanchez, Hilario (Julie) Cruz IV, Christina (Davidson McKinley) James, Jacob Loveland and Emily Loveland; six great-grandchildren, Vanessa Sanchez, Hilario Cruz V, Kayden Cruz, Zane Cruz, Aliya Cruz and Shianne McKinley; sisters Edith Bethers and Marianne (Jack Ahern) Hartley; Fred's sisters Joy Lloyd and Lorraine Douglass and brothers James, Bryon, Craig and Steve Rasmussen; many loved nieces and nephews, special friends Gordon and Kathleen Moore, and many beloved church friends.

The family respectfully requests in lieu of flowers or plants that you make a donation in Phyllis' memory to a charity of your choice.