Juel B. Rasmusson

Juel B. Rasmusson was born October 6, 1933 in Ephraim, Utah to Curtis Lawrence Rasmusson and Freda Malinda Bailey Ramusson.  He passed away peacefully in his home with his wife by his side October 15, 2023.  He just celebrated his 90th birthday.  Juel had twin brothers, Ronald and Donald, and one sister, LaRee.  Juel was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
    Juel has been a cowboy since a very young age.  He began herding cows and riding horses at the age of four years.  He recalled herding milk cows to the pasture each morning and bringing them home each night for his brothers to milk.
    He attended elementary school, junior high, and Snow High in Ephraim.  After graduating from high school in 1951, Juel traveled, along with his friend, Dave Hansen, to Fairbanks, Alaska to work for the summer.  Juel went to Alaska for the following three summers.  He worked many jobs, including for a gold mining company, cook’s helper, construction company building army barracks, and fighting fire.  Because of his work ethic while fighting fire, he became fire boss.  He really enjoyed all of his Alaska experiences.  He told many stories to our family and we thought it was really exciting.
    Juel received a completion certificate from Snow College and in 1955, transferred to Utah State Agriculture College where he graduated with a BS degree in Range Management.  He married Ann Shand in the Manti Temple this same year.  Sydney was born in Logan, while they were living there.
    While going to school in Logan, Juel was the high point man on the National Plant Judging Team that placed second in the nation.  He was also chosen to present the Utah Rancher Award.  After graduating in 1957, Juel got a job in Lewistown Montana with the Bureau of Land Management as a Range Manager.  Stacey was born while living there.  In 1959, Juel was transferred to Pinedale Wyoming.  While living there, Jill was born in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
    In 1963, the family decided to move back to Manti, Utah, where Julie, Shand, Jedd, and Heather were added to the family.  Juel became a self-employed rancher and farmer.  His livestock operation included a commercial herd and a herd of registered Charolais Cattle.  He was also a breeder of registered quarter horses.  He was an active member of the Utah and American Charolais Association’s as well as the Sanpete Cattlemen’s Association.  He was President of the Utah All-Breeds Bull Sale for a number of years and an officer in the Utah All-Breeds Bull Test. 
    Juel was involved in Utah Riding Club activities for many years.  He was the recipient of Utah State Western Riding Club Association “Outstanding Man” award in 1969 and 1974.  Horses were always an important part of Juel’s life.  Whether driving Skipper and Skooter, a team of quarter horses, in the cutter races in Wyoming or racing at the fair, he loved his horses.  Some of Juel’s most satisfying experiences have been when he was straddled atop a good well-trained and well-bred horse, whether it be crossing the finish line in first place at the Sanpete County Fair or just working with cattle on horseback at the ranch or in the mountains.  Over the years, Juel has broke and trained many saddle horses at his ranch.  He said that putting a good mouth on a saddle horse is one of the most satisfying experiences that a person can have.  Juel was chosen Sanpete King Cowboy in 1986.
    Juel cherished his old friends and the many new friends that he made, as well as “the best neighbors in the world”.
    Juel was a hard worker and he taught all of his children to work.  He was never too busy to show them how to do difficult chores.  They soon became a great help to him on the farm.  He loved horses and taught them all how to ride and would go to great lengths to see that they were able to participate in 4-H and other fair events.  All of the kids had show steers and the Sanpete County Fair and the Utah State Fair became annual events that the family looked forward to.  When people asked Juel what he did, he always said he was raising horses, cattle, and kids.  Juel loved his family and spent countless hours with his children and grandchildren teaching them the old values that would help them navigate through life. Many memories were made up Willow Creek, checking cattle, camping with the family, watching beautiful sunsets and at the end of the day listening to Juel recite “Hiawatha” as all 9 of us went to sleep.
    HE WILL ALWAYS BE OUR KING COWBOY.
    He was preceded in death by his parents and brother; Ronald, his daughter, Sydney and grandson, Chanse.  He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Ann Shand Rasmusson, his children Stacey (Tom) Heaton, Jill (Matthew) Nielson, Julie (Russel) Cox, Shand (Angie) Rasmusson, Jedd (LaVonna) Rasmusson and Heather (Christopher) Dorny, 27 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.
    Funeral services will be held on Monday, October 23, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. in the Manti Stake Center, 555 East Union.  Viewings will be held at the church on Sunday, October 22 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. and prior to services on Monday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Interment will be in the Manti City Cemetery.  Online condolences and live streaming of the services will be available at www.maglebymortuary.com under Juel’s obituary.
    We would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to Gunnison Valley Health and Hospice for all the care they gave to Juel. A special thanks to Dolores and Whitney for the love they showed him.