
Grace V. Rasset, age 97, of Annandale, died Thursday, August 22, 2024, at the Hilltop Care Center in Watkins. Her mind remained very sharp, but her body was tired, and God decided it was time to come home.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11:00 a.m. Thursday, August 29, 2024, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, Annandale with visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. Fr. Kevin Magner will be the Celebrant. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to St. Ignatius Catholic Church.
Grace Violet Olson was born October 5, 1926, to Alvin and Esther (Anderson) Olson in rural Annandale. She lived her entire life in the Annandale area. She attended Fashant Country School through 8th grade and was then able to skip two grade levels by passing the grade level testing norms. She entered 9th grade at Annandale High School and continued to excel in her coursework and graduated at the age of 15 with the Class of 1942. She then moved to the Twin Cities, where she lived with family and worked for Dayton’s Department Store in downtown Minneapolis. During weeknights, she was employed at a defense plant. She would return home to the family farm by bus on the weekends. One weekend while at Trappe’s Dance Hall on Sugar Lake, she met a nice, handsome, young man from Maple Lake, named Marvin Rasset. They were married on February 12, 1945, at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Annandale. They were united for 69 years, until Marvin’s death in 2014 and were blessed with six children: Jim, Bonnie, Denny, Don, Patty, and Dave.
Grace was extremely proud of her family. She was always interested in hearing about their activities. She was a devoted Catholic and strong prayer warrior. When she could no longer attend mass, she would watch mass on television, and would say her prayers and pray the rosary. She was a member of St. Ignatius Catholic Church and Council of Catholic Women.
She enjoyed visiting with her numerous visitors, bird watching, and earlier in life, working side by side with her husband in their family business ventures, Annandale Hatchery and Produce. Together they made quite the pair. Marv would pick up eggs from local farmers, while Grace was responsible for candling the eggs. The three older children would then be responsible to carton the eggs and Marv would deliver the cartons to various grocery stores in the metro. They then purchased a bait shop just east of Annandale on Highway 55; they renamed it Marv’s Bait Shop and owned it for 16 years. When retirement came, they liked to look for items at auctions and garage sales, selling items, and socializing at Swappers Meet on Saturday mornings for 20 years. At almost 98 years old, Grace saw and experienced a great deal in her life.
Grace is survived by her children, James (Bonna) Rasset of Ortonville, Bonnie (Dean) Hoglund of Annandale, and Patricia Rasset of Edina; daughters-in-law, Mary Lou, Sue, and Shelley Rasset all of Annandale; 12 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and 6 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by parents; husband, Marv; sons, Dave “Pike”, Don “Minnow”, and Denny “Chopper”; granddaughter, Suzanne Rasset; and siblings, Walter “Pete” Olson, Lillian Jordan, Evelyn Schneider, Ethel Rudolph, Mabel DesMarais, and Marie Rudolph.
St. Ignatius Music Ministry will provide music for the service. Arrangements are entrusted to Dingmann Funeral Care Burial and Cremation Services of Annandale.
A special “Thank You” to the extraordinary, loving, and caring staff at Hilltop Care Center, where Grace made her home the last two years and eight months.
Grace had a long life and will be deeply missed by all the lives she touched. At the end of each conversation or when ending a visit, after saying “I love you”, Grace would always say, “talk to you or see you tomorrow, God willing”.
Obituary, Guestbook, Video Tribute, and Funeral Webcast online at www.dingmannfuneral.com