Patricia A. Rasmussen

Patricia (Pat) A. Rasmussen was born in Cheboygan, MI the daughter of Nestor and Beatrice (Casey) Seaman (Herbert). As a commercial fisherman her father followed the fish and brought the family back to live in Fairport, MI where Pat grew up. She was called Patty Ann when she was little and even though was not fond of her nickname it followed her the rest of her life. Mom always wanted to be a teacher. She would try to play school with her brothers but when they were too unruly, she would call her dad to make them behave. Pat graduated from the Cooks High School in the Class of 1949. She was the last surviving member of her class.

Knowing that her parents couldn’t afford to send her to college to be a teacher she took the first opportunity she had to get an education and went to nursing school in Chicago where students worked as they learned. Just as she was finishing her schooling the family’s little ray of sunshine was snuffed out, her baby sister Lael Kay had passed away. She came home from school and some time after started dating a dashing young man, a former classmate, whom she would eventually marry, Charles Rasmussen. Mom and Dad loved to go dancing, she told me how she had been twirled around the floor like Cinderella to the sounds of the popular Big Band music. They were married at St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic church near the Historical Fayette town site on May 24, 1952. When she was a girl, she would stay with her Aunt Vida and Uncle Pup, who lived in the old town site, and help with the children.

Charles worked for the Board of Power and Light in Lansing, MI and Mom worked at a jewelry store. And so, they began their life and their family together. Soon she found she was expecting and the jewelry store owner disapproved of her continuing to work; even though she didn’t want to she quit her job and eventually had five lovely children. When the youngest was just 2 years old an opportunity to move back to the Garden Peninsula presented itself and with 5 children under the age of 8, they came back to the U.P. and started Peninsula Lumber and Supply, Co.

Mom kept a tidy home and there were always cookies or cake or pie around. She had a special gift for pie making, they were the best!! Growing up in Fairport she would go swimming down by the docks and fishing boats. Her love for swimming was passed on to her children. Many happy hours were spent with family friends swimming at Bailey’s Bay/Kate’s Bay. Then Dad would meet us there after work for a picnic We were always being promised the chance to go swimming after we picked berries! (for all those wonderful pies!) She played the piano for her church for many years.

Her desire to become a schoolteacher never waned. Once all of her children were in school, she became a schoolyard monitor for awhile and then started taking classes among the first students at the new Bay de Noc Community College. She continued to take classes and still cared for her family

canning produce from the garden, baking 10 loaves of bread at a time, being a 4-H leader, teaching her daughters to sew and knit, encouraging all of us to take music lessons, and being the best mom ever.

Finally, her dreams came true! She graduated from Northern Michigan University with a teaching degree!! That same year her middle child, Roxanne, graduated from Highschool and Lael graduated from Suomi College. Later she earned her Master’s degree from Northern working on a joint thesis with her daughter-in-law Laurie. She loved being a teacher. She would make ice-cream in an old crank ice-cream maker for each of her classes! She treasured the Christmas ornaments she had received from her students and hung them on her tree each year.

Finally, she retired and with a friend, opened an antique store in the old Peninsula Lumber and Supply building. “Antiques in the Garden” She also became a member of the Village Artisans and Garden Peninsula Historical Society. Not one to sit still she took up quilting along with her friend Marion Cota. She made and gave away many quilts and instilled in her daughters a love for quilting. The four of us took many road trips to quilt shops. Her grandson Mathew and his fiancé Ella received the last quilt she worked on for their upcoming wedding in October.

Mom and dad traveled a lot after they retired and spent many winters in Texas. Then after Dad passed she wintered in Gulf Shores, AL. Most winters with her good friend Judy until Covid 19 changed our world. Since covid she has spent her winters in her house on Kate’s Bay sitting by her fireplace looking out at the winter landscape. Mom outlived all of her siblings and her childhood friends. Mom was a Christian and we know that she is now safe and warm in the arms of Jesus.

Pat is survived by her children: Lael (Charles) Thelander of Sac Bay, Douglas Rasmussen of Gladstone, Roxanne (Russell) Paquette of Rapid River, Corine (Mike) Cummings of Escanaba, and Jon (Lise) of Chesterfield, MO; Grandchildren: Heather (Rudy Jr.) Trevino of Fort Atkinson, WI, Chad (Jennifer Bagby) Thelander of Cedar Lake, IN, Lance (Sara Van Damme) Rumford, ME, Heidi (Andy) Bunch, Marinette, WI, Scott (Denise) Paquette of Rapid River, MI, Ryan Paquette of Kingsford, MI, Kurt (Jackie) Paquette of Green Bay, WI, Eric (Pernilla) Paquette of Littleton, CO, Dennis (Crystal) Cummings, Jr., of Ada, MI, Justin (Terese Acou) Cummings of Jenison, MI, Sara (Katie McEntee) Rasmussen of Kansas City, MO, Lindsay (Clint) Durbin of Easley, SC, Mathew (Ella West) Rasmussen of Lakewood, CO, Daniel Rasmussen, Chesterfield, MO. Great grandchildren: Rudy III, Austin, and Tristin Trevino, Cael and Jett Thelander, Ellie Bunch, Hailey and Natalie Paquette, Owen, Blake, and Cole Paquette, Sophia and Clara Paquette, Kara, Axel, Mila, Jovie, Blaise, and Elsie Cummings, Connor, Hannah, and Gracelyn Cummings, Morgan and Rylee Durbin.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her step-father Freeman Herbert. Husband Charles Rasmussen, Father and Mother-in-law Axel and Berniece Rasmussen, Daughter-in-law Laurie Rasmussen, Brothers: Wayne, Duane, Vernon and Bill Seaman, sisters Jill Jensen and Lael Seaman.

Donations in Patricia’s memory may be made to the Garden Christian Fellowship Church, Village Artisans of Garden, Garden Peninsula Historical Society.

Visitation will take place on September 22, 2025, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm with a service to follow at Garden Christian Fellowship Church. A graveside service at the New Garden Cemetery will follow with Pastor Greg Williams and Pastor Mike Cummings officiating.

Fausett Family Funeral Homes is assisting the family with arrangements.