Karl Garry Rasmussen

It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of a mountain of a man, our beloved Husband, Father, Poppa, Brother, Uncle, cherished friend and so much more, Garry Rasmussen (Karl Garry Rasmussen). He passed away on December 21, 2019, surrounded by his loving family,

after a truly remarkable life.

Garry was born in Lethbridge, Alberta on June 15, 1937, where he lived on the experimental farm with his parents, and three younger brothers (Laird, Don, and David) until the family moved to Brookings, South Dakota to follow their father’s career pursuits in Agriculture. They eventually moved to Ottawa, Ontario in 1951 where Garry remained for his formative years, attending Glebe Collegiate Institute and then Carleton University to study Civil Engineering, and play football for his cherished Ravens. Upon graduation, Garry met and married his wife and love, Leonne (nee Meloche), who journeyed with him through almost 56 years of marriage. Daughters, Tara and Kristen, would soon follow. He also kicked off what would be an impressive and storied career, accepting his first job with IBM Canada

following his graduation in 1961.

Garry’s intellect, curiosity and strong work ethic, formed the basis for a professional life about which he was incredibly passionate. Through his career, he held a number of senior positions in both the finance and IT industries including Director of Information Systems at IBM and Chief Administration Officer for Merrill Lynch Canada. In 1991, he became the founding CEO of the outsourcing firm ISM BC and would spend over 9 years with his team building a domestic and International business that would take him around the globe. After “retiring”, Garry moved into the private equity business as a founding partner of both Ansera Ventures and later Ansera Capital Partners where he channeled his energy for the art of the deal and building great businesses. Until just days before his passing, one could still find Garry on the phone fully engaged in his work.

Garry generously volunteered his time and expertise to support numerous organizations over the years. All of these groups were near and dear to his heart including the Vancouver Playhouse, Forum for Women Entrepreneurs, TELUS World of Science, Social Venture Partners and the Boy Scouts of Canada, to name a few.

Garry was a strong and gracious leader in all aspects of his life but more than anything else, he was kind. Garry loved his family, this beautiful country, and the many people he felt privileged to work alongside. He will be most remembered for his wisdom, strong moral core, humility and arsenal of stories. He is survived by his wife, Leonne; daughter, Tara Rasmussen and her partner, Matt Mason and their two children, William and Scarlett Mason; daughter, Kristen Rasmussen and her partner, Billy Goddard; brothers, Laird, Don, David, and their families; and also his furry sidekick, TJ.

And finally, words he lived by inspired by his favourite book of all time, The Wind in the Willows, “Take the Adventure, heed the call, now ere the irrevocable moment passes!”

A special thank you to the Palliative Care staff at Lion’s Gate Hospital, for their expertise, compassion and support in his passing.

A celebration of Garry’s wonderful life will take place at 2:00 p.m. on January 18, 2020, at the West Vancouver United Church with a reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation (netrf.org).