Jeffrey P. Rasmussen

Jeffrey P. Rasmussen, age 74 passed away on April 27, 2026. Born on November 22, 1951, in Milwaukee, WI, he was adopted as an infant by Al and Cele Rasmussen, living the remainder of his life in Racine where he attended St. Patrick school and St. Catherine HS “Class of 1969”.

After completing a teaching internship during the second semester of his Senior year, he graduated from Dominican College in May 1973 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English and a secondary teaching degree. In 1984, he graduated from Carthage earning a Master’s degree in Education with an emphasis in Creative Arts specializing in theater. During his teaching career, he went on receive his State of Wisconsin Educational Leadership certification from UW Milwaukee.

Always interested in music, Jeff studied piano and later organ. In the early 70’s, he founded and directed the St. Patrick Folk Choir. Later on he was also an organist at St. Patrick Parish and Choir Director/organist at St Mary’s Parish downtown. As the director of music and liturgy at St. Mary’s by the Lake Parish in Caledonia, he served as organist/pianist and choir director for more than forty years there.

With liturgy and music being sidelined, Jeff’s full-time occupation was that of an educator with the Racine Unified School District for 38 years. In 1973, he was hired by the Racine Unified School District, teaching English, Speech, and Drama at W. Allen Gifford Jr High School. During that time, “JR” established a strong theater program, directing upward of 20 plays and musicals. When Gifford became an elementary school in 1981, he went on to teach English at James F. Gilmore Junior High School/Middle School. During his years there, he developed a summer school course, Project ACE, which was designed for academically talented minority students recommended for accelerated 8th grade English at their respective middle schools. In addition, he was the advisor for the school’s yearbook, The Griffin. In 1984 he was selected as the RUSD Middle School Teacher of the Year. After 16 years as a classroom teacher, Jeff served as a school administrator for the next 22 years as an Assistant Principal at Gilmore and Jerstad-Agerholm Middle Schools and Directing Principal at Starbuck Middle School, and Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School. He retired from the district in 2011.

Jeff was a lifetime member of both the Wisconsin and Racine PTA’s. In retirement, Jeff was a member of The Racine Area Retired Educators Association (RAREA), serving as Membership Chair and later as President; and the Wisconsin Retired Educators Association (WREA). He also served a term as President of the Roosevelt PTA.

In 1974 at St Patrick Church, Jeff married Linda L. Humor. Together they had three children: Eric (Shelley), Amy (Dan) Magnuson, and Kurt (Diane), as well as four grandchildren: Cali, Trevor, Isabelle, and Oliver. Other survivors include a brother, Mark, and sister, Judy, along with sisters and brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews, cousins, former colleagues, and many friends, including special friends Nancy Lalor, and Jim Brown. He was preceded in death by his wife, Linda, who passed away in May of 2020, and his parents Al and Cecelia

Funeral services for Jeff will be held at Maresh-Meredith and Acklam Funeral Home, 803 Main Street, on Tuesday, May 5th with visitation with the family from 9-11am followed by a service of Christian Burial. Following the service, Jeff will be laid to rest with Linda at West Lawn Memorial Park.

The service will be live streamed and may be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/meredithfuneralhome/

Memorials in his name may be made to his grandchildren’s education fund established at Educators Credit Union and/or the RAREA Scholarship Fund.