Born Carolee Rasmussen on June 13, 1935 on West Ripon Road to parents Andrew Peter Rasmussen (long time plumber, contractor and businessman in Ripon) and Estelle Freda (Perry) Rasmussen; Registered Nurse and Ripon Unified School Board Member.
Carolee died peacefully on October 28, 2018 from the long-time effects of Parkinson’s Disease. She passed with a family member present.
She leaves behind her four children and their families; Robert “Gene” Loewen in Los Banos and granddaughter Sydney Loewen, Nancy Loewen-Stetler in Ripon and granddaughter Jacyln Stetler, grandson’s Andrew Stetler and Grady Hall and great grandchildren, Cheyenne, Candance and Avalynn. Bradley Loewen and wife Sue in Fresno, grandchildren, Lauren and Garrett Stanford, and RJ and Madi Loewen and great grandchildren Cameron Tatum and Ty. Kurt Loewen and wife Joanie in Stockton and granddaughter Annie and grandson Spencer.
Carolee also leaves behind her sister, Freda Motto and family, husband Rod, niece Karen and nephew David and his wife Stephanie. Also, her nephew, the son of her late sister Nancy Levy, Aaron Levy and wife Rachel and great niece Maggie and great nephew Dominic.
Carolee enjoyed many forms of art like quilting, painting, cross stitch and sewing. She served as a member and past president of the Manteca Quilters Group and with the Los Banos Quilters. Bartering was a favorite pastime; she enjoyed swapping treasures with friends. She spent many summers in Modoc County at her cabin where she made many friends near Likely, CA. She was a longtime employee at Bank of America in Manteca, Los Banos and Stockton.
Carolee was also actively involved with the annual San Joaquin County Fair in the 1970’s and 1980’s making many of the labels for displays using her “pre-computer labeling device called the Leroy Lettering Set. In 1974, using the family coffee table, she created a replica of the logo for the Ripon Chamber of Commerce using dried grains of beans and rice that is currently on display at the Clarence Smit Museum – Ripon. It was used at the San Joaquin County Fair as part of an exhibit for the City of Ripon.
Carolee will be placed with her Mother “Estelle” and sister “Nancy” in the Ripon Cemetery. Should you wish to act in her honor please send donations to Michael J. Fox Foundation at
www.michaeljfox.org or by mail to Michael J. Fox Foundation, P. O. Box 5014 Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014, if you do this please know that we thank you for your support.
Carolee had many friends and she was diligent in keeping in touch with them until her Parkinson’s became to advanced; please know that if you were her friend that you meant the world to her; please keep her close to your heart, as she did for you.
Ripon
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Saturday, November 10, 2018
