Rita Croxton Rasmussen

A funeral service to celebrate the life of Rita Ann Croxton Rasmussen of Lexington, S.C. will be held at noon on February 5, 2015 with graveside services at Beaver Creek Presbyterian Church. Mrs. Rasmussen went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, February 1, 2015 at her home after a long illness. She is survived by her husband, Richard Whitlow Rasmussen; a daughter, Dawn Neilson Rasmussen Smith; and two sons, Richard Scott Rasmussen (Mara), and Christopher Reed Rasmussen, all of Arizona. Also surviving are three grandsons, Ryan and Brandon Smith, and Joey Rasmussen. Additionally, Mrs. Rasmussen is survived by her mother-in-law, Alice Rasmussen of Florida; two sisters, Dorothy Croxton Pemental (Rodney), and Sandra Croxton Long (George) of Lexington; a brother-in-law, Peter Rasmussen (Christine) of Florida, and a sister-in-law, Joan Haley (Alfred) of Rhode Island. Mrs. Rasmussen is also survived by her aunt, Charlotte Croxton of Kershaw, and cousins; Thomas (Tommy) Croxton (Deloris) and Debbie Croxton of Charlotte, N.C., and Glenda Duke (Ron) of Florida and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her mother, Joyce Cook Croxton Etter, and father, Willie Reed Croxton. Mrs. Rasmussen was a loving wife, mother, sister, niece, aunt, grandmother, and friend. She graduated from Kershaw High School in 1953 and from Winthrop College in June 1957. She taught school in Virginia and Arizona. Mrs. Rasmussen continued her love of education and obtained a Maser of Education degree in Arizona. Mrs. Rasmussen was very interested in her family’s ancestry and wrote a book containing much of her research. Mrs. Rasmussen met her future husband, Richard (Dick), in Virginia and they were married on August 3, 1958 in Kershaw. After Mr. Rasmussen graduated from Clemson University, the couple moved to San Jose, California and later to Phoenix, Arizona, where Mr. Rasmussen was employed as an engineer with Intel and where they raised their family. In later years, the Rasmussens moved back to South Carolina to be close to Mr. Etter. Mrs. Rasmussen will be greatly missed by family and friends alike.