Iris Margaret Rasmussen, age 97, died Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, at The Neighborhoods at Brookview in Brookings, South Dakota.
A memorial service was held 11a.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory in Sioux Falls. Interment in Rose Hill Cemetery in Clark, South Dakota.
The family is requesting memorial donations go to Lifescape or East Side Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. Visit www.georgeboom.com for an online guestbook.
Iris Margaret (Bymers) Rasmussen was born Aug. 30, 1927, in Conde, SD. She was the daughter of Pete and Gladys (Schultz) Bymers. She was raised on farms in Spink and Clark counties and graduated from Raymond High School in 1945. Following her graduation, she gravitated toward teaching and eventually received an Associate Degree in Education from Northern State Teachers College in 1948.
Iris taught in the Ash Consolidated District, Brookings, Aberdeen, and Raymond from 1945 through 1953. Also, during this time, Iris worked at a Dude Ranch in Cripple Creek, Colorado in the summer of 1949. It was an amazing experience that Iris talked about the rest of her life.
Iris married Laird Nolan Rasmussen in June of 1952 and the two of them made Clark, SD home from 1952-1955. Their first son was born in Watertown while they lived in Clark. In 1955 Laird accepted a position at a law firm in Sioux Falls, leaving Clark for this new opportunity. The other four boys were born in Sioux Falls.
Iris and Laird became members of East Side Lutheran Church in 1955 and she was very active in the church. In 1958 she was elected President of the Sioux Falls chapter of Jaycettes.
Beginning in 1969 and continuing until the 2010s, Iris was greatly involved with CCHS which is now called Lifescape. In 1969 Laird and Iris joined Westward Ho Country Club, where they enjoyed many years of bridge playing, golfing and socializing. Iris was a tenacious bridge player. Iris moved to Brookings, SD in 2020.
She is survived by her sons, Reed (Ann) of Aberdeen, John (Mary) of Sauk Centre, MN, Eric (Lisa) of Brookings, Leif (Liz) of Bloomington, MN and Dirk (April) of Denver, CO. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and siblings Duane Bymers and Karen McCoy.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Laird Nolan Rasmussen; her parents, Pete and Gladys Bymers; and her siblings, Valois, Patricia, Mona, Dean, and Marvin.
