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Martha A. Rasmussen, age 84 of North Branch, died on Sunday, April 5, 2015 at the Lino Lakes Assisted Living facility.

Martha was born on August 31, 1931 in Westfield, Massachusetts to parents, Leon and Esther (Burke) Orcutt, the only girl of four children.  After her father retired from the Air Force the family moved to Minnesota where her mother had relatives.  Her father took a job at the school in Boy River, Minnesota.  Over the years education led him to schools in Motley, Grey Eagle and Strandquist, Minnesota.  

Martha graduated from school in 1949 and went on to work in Chicago at Marshall Fields department store.  She returned to her parents’ home in Strandquist in the early ‘50’s where she met Darrold Rasmussen, a newly discharged Air Force veteran.  They were married on January 9, 1957.  

Martha was an intelligent person.  She loved to paint and taught herself to play the accordion and guitar as well as the violin.  She led a group of singers “The Joyful Voices“ until she turned it over to husband Darrold.  The family grew to six children, three girls and two boys, and a son by a former marriage.  Martha earned a college certificate and a job as a drug and alcohol counselor and worked at the Cambridge State Hospital until she was injured on the job and transferred to Labor and Industry in St. Paul.  

Martha is survived by husband, Darrold; sons Christopher Rasmussen of Washington, D.C.; Andrew Rasmussen of North Branch and James (Linda) Orcutt of Bloomington; daughters Ann Rasmussen of Albuquerque, N.M.; Ellen (Mike) Lechlitner of Mishawauka, IN and Suzanne Schmalz of St. Paul; brothers Peter Orcutt of Albuquerque, N.M. and Paul Orcutt of Bloomington.  She is also survived by her seven grandchildren and two adopted grandchildren and four great grandchildren.  

She is preceded in death by her parents and brother, Leon Orcutt, Jr.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Northwoods Humane Society.

Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m.  Thursday, April 9 at Grandstrand Funeral Home in North Branch.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Thursday.
 
Family interment will take place at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.

Arrangements are under the direction of Grandstrand Funeral Home in North Branch.  Condolences maybe left at www.grandstrandfh.com

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