Leone Rasmussen

On Tuesday, May 2, 2017, Leone Durocher Rasmussen passed away peacefully in her sleep in Broomfield, Colo. Her 97 years on earth has had a huge impact on all of those who she leaves behind. She now joins all of those in heaven who preceded her and now welcome her home.

As per her wishes, Leone's ashes will be buried with her beloved Alvin in Columbia Falls, Mont., at a time to be determined.

She was born in Malta, Mont., on May 29, 1920. There, she met and married Alvin Rasmussen on July 3, 1940, and was happily married for 71 years. They then moved to Glasgow, and had three children: Faithe Schellinger, Lee Rasmussen, and Jerri Rasmussen.

After her husband, Alvin, went to Europe for World War II, she began working at AT&T as a telephone operator. She soon became a supervisor and ultimately retired with AT&T.

In 1971, she and Alvin relocated out of their beloved state of Montana after several transfers with Burlington Railroad. Their first stop was Tacoma, Wash., followed by a move to Portland, Ore., in 1977 where Alvin retired. There, they spent many summers with their grandchildren, Shawn and Shannon, as well as enjoyed vacations and family reunions along the Oregon coast.

After their retirement, she and Alvin found the warm and senior-friendly community of Palm Desert, Calif., where they purchased a condo and started a wonderful life of being snow birds. After several years of traveling between Portland and Palm Desert, they sold their home in Portland and lived full-time in Palm Desert in 2005.

After the passing of her beloved Alvin and children, Lee and Faithe, she moved to Colorado to live closer to her grandson, Shawn, his wife and family. She lived on her own independently until the very end. Strongly religious, she desperately wanted to be reunited with all of her loved ones in Heaven. She was loved by all who knew or cared for her. While we are all sad she is no longer with us, we have to be happy that she is now making Heaven a better place by her presence.

She was preceded in death by her parents; all nine siblings; her husband, Alvin Rasmussen, and three children: Faithe Schellinger, Lee and Jerri Rasmussen.

She is survived by her daughter's, Faithe, husband, Dan Schellinger of Columbia Falls; two grandchildren, Shawn Schellinger and his wife, Denise, of Broomfield, Colo., and Shannon Bachman and her husband, Michael, of Fishers, Ind.; and four great-grandchildren, Kayla and Austin Bachman of Fishers, and Ryan and Mia Schellinger of Broomfield.

She left a long legacy of faith and love with all lives with whom she touched. While our world is a sadder place without her, she is with God and all who loved her.