ARDYTHE RASMUSSEN

Ardythe Eileen Rasmussen, née Sladek born in Houston, Texas in 1950, passed away on August 10 after a heroic battle with cholangiocarcinoma. Raised in Elmhurst Illinois, Ardythe was a graduate of York Community High School and received her B.A. from Lakeland College. Ardythe started her career as a dental therapist-hygienist in Fort Knox, Kentucky. She later merged those skills with her natural leadership and philanthropic goals in multiple start-up efforts. In 1976, as Department Director for Fox Valley Technical College Dental Assisting Program, then as Director of Jr. Achievement Neenah/Menasha, in 2002 as Executive Director Tri-County Community Dental Clinic, and finally as Development Director at St. Joseph's Food Program. Ardythe was a tireless advocate and continuously on the move. She volunteered as PTO president of Washington Elementary school, ombudsman for Park View Nursing Home, on the Grants Review Committee for St. Elizabeth's Hospital, and helping families at the World Relief Fox Valley. Until very recently, she could be seen expertly traversing the streets of Neenah on a Rickshaw, driving residents of the Neenah VNA, a role in which she found particular joy and adventure. She was also known for maintaining a self-taught artist's skill, setting up a watercolor and drawing studio in her home and creating beautiful works for many family and workplaces. She was a model for personal fitness, walking at least 5 miles each day, keeping up with a personal trainer (and her grandkids), biking, snowshoeing, and traveling around the world. Her wisdom, love, and exceptional organizational skills will be sorely missed, but assuredly carried forward.

Ardythe is survived by her husband, Carl Rasmussen, son Jae Rasmussen (Lukas), daughter Lindsey Rasmussen (Berekete, children Ellis & Eden), and sister Mary Sladek Dreiser. She was surrounded by many nieces and nephews: Cara Boyles Doughty (Gary, children Ryan, Nora, & Landon), Gavin Boyles (Aubrey, children Liam & Thea), Mikael Krukoff , Alex O'Neill (Ashley, child Kai), Jennifer Sladek, Sara Dreiser (Dan, child Audrey), David Dreiser (Lauren, child Olivia), Michele Rasmussen, Max Rasmussen (Anna), and Austyn Bella. She is preceded in death by her sisters Barbara Sladek Boyles Wright and Marilyn Sladek, brothers Paul and Jim Sladek, and her parents Arthur and Marilyn Sladek.

A celebration of life visitation will be held at Westgor Funeral Home in Neenah, Wisconsin on Sunday August 17, from 1-3pm. In honor of Ardythe's passion as one of the original pilots for Valley VNA's rickshaw program, please consider making a donation to Valley VNA Senior Care toward the purchase of a new rickshaw in her memory. Donations can be made online at valleyvna.org or by mail to Valley VNA Senior Care, 1535 Lyon Drive, Neenah, WI, 54956. If you wish, please submit online condolences/ memories to Westgor website (https://www.westgorfuneralhomes.com/contact).