Col. Robert Adrian Rasmussen USAF Retired slipped the surly bonds of Earth on Monday October 26, 2015, in Austin, Texas. He was born to Walter Rasmussen and Billie Beth Hanner Rasmussen on July 31, 1934, in Galveston, Texas. He was proud to be B.O.I., which means Born On the Island. Robert is survived by his wife, Helen Jean Martin Rasmussen, they married June 17, 1961, his children Robert Rasmussen Jr & his wife Kristina Scott Rasmussen; Anders Rasmussen & his wife Lisabeth Proctor Rasmussen; & Elise Rasmussen Cole & her husband David Brian Cole. Bob’s grandchildren are Adrian Dane Rasmussen & his partner Allison Cundiff; Gentry Tess Rasmussen, Andrew Dax Cole and David Alexander “Xander” Cole. Bob’s twin sisters are Beth Rasmussen Osendorf and her husband Rick Osendorf and Bette Plumbley & her life partner Susan Wendorff. Bob was raised by his parents and his nanny Johnny May whom he deeply loved and considered family. Bob had many Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins, especially his Aunt Edith Hanner Wait who lived with her sister Bob’s mother Billie Beth Rasmussen in Kerrville, TX. Edith’s faith in Bob gave Bob faith in himself. Bob was particularly proud of his Danish heritage. Bob’s grandfather Anders Johann Rasmussen survived Galveston’s great Hurricane of 1900. Anders also opened the first Ford Dealership in Texas in 1904, and ran it until he died in 1946.
Bob attended Ball High in Galveston, in 1949, his father retired and moved the family to Kerrville, TX where he started his junior year Tivy High. Bob graduated from Tivy High in 1951. Bob loved flying and became a pilot at age 16, taking secret flying lessons at the Kerrville airport because he knew his parents would never give him permission.
Bob attended University of Texas at Austin (Hook Em'). He was in the ROTC, belonging to the UT Chapter of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity. He graduated with a Business Degree in Management and Finance. He often said “On June 4th 1955, I walked across Gregory Gym, got my diploma, then walked 20 more feet and they swore me into the Air Force as a 2ndLt. (then his son would add “And he’s been swearing ever since.”) Bob bled burnt orange. He loved Longhorn Football and held season tickets for over 30 years. Few people know that Bob attended A&M for one semester as a Freshman before transferring to UT. But maybe more know now.
Bob served as a decorated officer in the US Air Force for 27 years and rose to the rank of full Colonel. He earned the Bronze Star and flew many missions in Vietnam. He was proud to be an American Veteran.
Robert attended his 30 day basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio TX. He completed his Air Force Flight Training in Bartow Florida during 1955-1956. He went on to fighter training at Luke AFB, in Phoenix, AZ in the F-84F, then to Nellis AFB in Las Vegas in the F-100A.
Bob’s first operational assignment was a Fighter Nuclear Bomb Commander at Wethersfield, England for 3 years with the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing. His boss was Heisman Trophy winner Doc Blanchard.
Bob was reassigned to Reese AFB, Lubbock, TX, for 5 years as an instructor pilot and flight commander in the T-33, T-37, and T-38 aircraft.
He was reassigned to Misawa AFB, Japan to a deployment unit as a forward air controller. He was on temporary duty to Vietnam for 309 days during his first year in Japan as a Fighter Duty Officer/Forward Air Controller. His first tour was at Na Trang and the second was at Chu Chi with the US 25th division (As a trick to keep the “in country” head count within a Congressionally imposed ceiling, the military assigned a significant force to Vietnam on Temporary Duty.) He said “I’d fly low and slow and get shot at so I could relay enemy target locations to our fighter jets and bombers.”
From 1966 - 1971, He was reassigned to Randolph AFB, Texas in San Antonio, TX as a T-38 Flight Commander and Chief of Safety for 4 ½ years. During this time he also attended USC for additional training courses.
He was reassigned to the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli, Libya, in 1971, to work with the Libyan Air Force and Col. Muammar Gaddafi. Gaddafi met with dad 6 times but refused to meet with the US Ambassador. Bob lived in the U.S. Embassy until all Americans were kicked out of the country. While Bob served in Libya, his wife and children lived in Sumter SC. He was there to spy, he didn’t want[] to risk his family getting kidnapped in Libya.
Bob commanded a squadron at Shaw AFB, in Sumter, South Carolina and then did a 3 year tour at TAC Head Quarters in Langley, Virginia. At Tactical Air Command, he ran the Tactical Control System for the Air Force.
In 1977, he was reassigned to Bergstrom AFB, in Austin, TX. He stated, “I finally finagled an assignment to Austin and tricked mom. She got used to moving every 3 or 4 years and had little idea that Austin was going to be our home town.” He ran an Air Division at 12th Air Force. He officed in the donut shaped building that’s now the Hilton Hotel at Bergstrom Air Port. He retired from the USAF on January 31, 1982, as a Full Colonel (0-6).
He loved to say “I had a seven hour retirement. I retired as a Col in the Air Force to become a Private at Merrill Lynch, at 7:00 am, Monday, morning, February 1, 1982, I went to work at Merrill Lynch as a Financial Consultant. I have invested in the stock market myself since May 1957.” He worked with Merrill Lynch for 29 years until he retired in Jan. 2011. He was a Vice President and a Senior Investment Advisor.
In 1986, he invited his son Ande to work with him at Merrill Lynch, they were the first family team in Austin and one of the first around the country, back then they called it nepotism. Since then many family teams have formed and thrived at Merrill Lynch. At the 1986, Merrill Lynch Christmas Party Bob’s friends wrote and performed a hilarious Flintstones Parody called, “Raz Men Meet the Raz Men they’re the modern Brokerage Family.”
Bob loved working and had no plans to ever retire. Bob was a worker, he’d say “If you wanna be successful work half time, all it takes is 6 am to 6 pm each day.” Bob worked in the family Ford dealership parts department for 25 cents an hour at age ten, he worked as a cook, at airports, sold Cutco knives in college, worked as a truck driver, an officer & pilot in the Air Force and a Financial Consultant at Merrill Lynch. He loved helping his many clients and friends, & talking & hanging out with his coworkers. He always paid more than his share at happy hours.
Bob loved the beach, vacationing with the family in Galveston, Virginia Beach, Myrtle Beach and the white sands of Fort Walton Beach. In 1997, He built a home at Bay Harbor in Port Aransas. He was convinced that salt water could cure most problems in life whether it be sweat, tears or the sea. He was right. Bob loved lakes, rivers, bays, oceans, fishing, boating, skiing, seafood, especially shrimp, and swimming. He put Robby, Ande and Elise on swim team to make sure they could swim far and fast. Coastal living was a way he loved spending time with his family and friends.
Bob made friends everywhere he went and at every club he joined. He belonged to many organizations, Texas Exes, Rotary Club of Austin, Aces, Daedalians, Men of the Church, and many others. He had this caring charisma that made people laugh and smile. He had a wicked sense of humor, he was bright, blunt, and decisive. He was confident but not cocky. Even in recent years as his memory loss progressed he became sweeter, kinder, more patient and deeply appreciative.
Bob was a storyteller, he didn’t make them up, he lived them. His stories were about the amazing life he lived and his incredible experiences.
Bob loved to travel and he and his beloved wife Jean saw the world. They loved cruises and went on over 45 cruises all over the world, spanning every ocean, every continent, and many ports, countries, seas and great rivers. Bob loved photography, he took many pictures at family gatherings and his travels.
Col. Rasmussen you’ve begun your new adventures off you go into the wild blue yonder to trespass the sanctity of space. We can’t wait to hear your stories. God Speed.
We also thank the professionals at the University Medical Center Brackenridge ER, Westminster Arbor and Hospice Austin for their excellent care during Bob’s final days.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Bob’s honor to the Austin Rotary Club Foundation, 301 E 8th Street, Austin, TX, 78701, or a nonprofit of your choice.
Robert’s Pallbearers are his grandchildren: Dane Rasmussen, Dax Cole, Xander Cole, and Tess Rasmussen, and friends Neill Gruver, Jason George, Peter Kehle, and Kyle Bennett.
Honorary Pallbearers: Bo Rasmussen, Jimmy Rasmussen, Gary Middleton, Alan Nicholson, Howard Johnsen, Jim Uselton, Moore McDonough, Bobby Herrin, Marshall Meece, Richard Romer, & Don Ray George.
Bob’s Services:
Visitation
Tue Nov. 3, 2015
18:00 – 20:00 hours that’s 6:00 to 8:00 pm for civilians at
Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park located at
6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, TX 78749 (ph.512-892-1172)
Funeral
Wednesday Nov. 4, 2015 at
10:00 A.M. at
Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park located at
6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, TX 78749 (ph.512-892-1172)
Reception immediately following services
Col Rasmussen’s Memorial Service Detachment (Military Funeral Honors for Veterans)
Wednesday Nov. 4, 2015 at
14:30 hours ( 2:30 P.M. ) at
Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery is located at
1520 Harry Wurzbach Rd,
San Antonio, TX 78209
(We’ve chartered a 56 passenger bus to take all family and a few friends who would like to attend Bob’s Military Burial in San Antonio. It will take us there and bring us back. Please check in with Ande to get on the list. We can’t confirm friend riders until Wednesday around noon.)
Questions? Please call 512 217 2728 Ande Rasmussen
High Flight
By John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
"Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds -
and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of -
wheeled and soared and swung high in the sunlit silence.
Hovering there I've chased the shouting wind along
and flung my eager craft through footless halls of air.
"Up, up the long delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,
where never lark, or even eagle, flew;
and, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
the high untrespassed sanctity of space,
put out my hand and touched the face of God."
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