Dean Allen Rasmussen

Dean Allen Rasmussen, beloved husband of Caren (Brown) Rasmussen, passed away peacefully on March 11, 2025, in Stuart, Florida. He was born on September 5, 1942, in Harlan, Iowa, to the late Howard and Alma (Nielsen) Rasmussen. Dean grew up on an Iowa farm, but was far more interested in taking tractor motors apart and car racing. He graduated from Harlan High School in 1960. He then worked in a meat packing plant, and later for a welding company. In November 1962, he joined the U.S. Navy Submarine Service. After basic training, he was sent to San Diego, California. From November 1963 to March 1965, he served aboard the USS Diodon (SS-349). The Diodon was a World War II diesel submarine. He patrolled the West Pacific Ocean and was off the coast of Vietnam during the war. He then transferred to New London, Connecticut, homeport of the USS George Bancroft, SSBN-643, a nuclear submarine. She was commissioned in January 1966, and Dean was part of the six-month sea trials off St. Croix. They patrolled the North Atlantic, Arctic Circle, and Antarctic Circle. Dean served for five years and was an E-6 Engineman First Class. He was released from active duty on September 13, 1967. He accepted a position with Carrier Air Conditioning as service supervisor. In 1973, he started the Guarantee Service Co., Inc., a union HVAC shop, eventually changing to non-union Guarantee Mechanical Service Co., Inc., adding a sheet metal division. He relocated the business to Plantation Road, Broad Brook, where he also built a self-storage business called Comfort Store, LLC, and a large woodworking shop next door. Over the years, he started Main Street Auto, a gas station and repair shop, adding a foreign car division, Main Street Fuel, selling oil and coal. He owned the Broad Brook Opera House for several years. He loved flipping houses and rebuilding old Mercedes and boating. He leaves behind his loving wife of 57 years, Caren (Brown) Rasmussen, his son David Dean Rasmussen, and wife Suzanne and four grandchildren, Hadassah, Joel, Elizabeth, and Selah from Ohio, his daughter, Claudia Jean Smith, and husband, Bo, in Texas. His oldest child, Christine Obaid, passed away in 2021, and her children are Amani Abdullah, and husband, Asad, great-grandson, Yaseen, and grandson, Jamalaldeen (Jamal) Obaid. He also leaves behind brothers and sisters-in-law, Charles and Claudia Siedlecki of Broad Brook, brothers-in-law Emmert Andersen of Harlan, Iowa, and many nephews, nieces, cousins, business associates, and dear friends who are like family. He was predeceased by daughter Christine and sister Diane Andersen. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Leete-Stevens Enfield Chapels, 61 South Road, Enfield. Burial will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Tunnels to Towers, www.t2t.org, or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105. For online condolences, please visit www.leetestevens.com.