Helen Mary Tate Rasmussen

Helen Mary Tate Rasmussen was born September 9th, 1954, in Farmington, New Mexico and passed away peacefully at home on Monday, September 23rd, 2024 in Shreveport, Louisiana where she was a long time resident. 

Helen’s family traveled frequently in her youth, following her father’s job working the oil and gas pipeline. She attended school in Minden and Jennings before graduating from Crowley High School in 1972. 

Helen was especially known for her caring and compassionate spirit which led to a lengthy nursing career lasting over 30 years. She graduated from Northwestern State University in 1980 with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. During her career, she touched many lives, both young and old. While she began on the medical-surgical floors of Bossier General Hospital and P&S Hospital, she spent considerable time as a NICU nurse and discharge coordinator at LSU Medical Center Shreveport. It was in this role where she proudly assisted with the NICU annual reunions. She finished her career at Overton Brooks VA Medical Center, where she worked as an oncology nurse and then as a primary care nurse with the hospital’s White Team. She was known to many for her years of involvement as a member of Northwest Louisiana’s Oncology Nursing Society. 

Outside of her professional career, Helen had many roles that describe her many interests including that of family genealogist, Girl Scout Troop Leader, vacation planner, voracious reader, and Nana. 

Family was particularly important to Helen. She is preceded in death by her parents, Ozay Joseph Tate and Beatrice Douga Tate; sisters, Barbara “Bobbi” Carver and Wanda Carter; brother, Wayne L. Tate; nephews George Joseph Carver and Tracy Carver; and niece Mary Kathleen Carver. 

Among those left to remember her are her loving husband of 49 years, Wilmer “Bill” Rasmussen III; her daughter, Rachael Willeford and husband, Mike; her grandson Gage Willeford; brother-in-law, Brian Rasmussen and wife Ann; sisters-in-law Marilou Tate-Sevilla, Connie Joseph, and Faith McCain and her husband, David; her nieces Katrina Kirlin, Michelle Tate and husband Jason Bonazzi, Mercedes Tate and husband Kevin Flores, and Laya Tate; her nephews Todd Carver, Shon Carter, and Michael Tate; close family friends Jason and Emily Bottrell and their daughters Rachael and Kaitlyn; special friend Bessy Hall; and many loving extended family. 

A memorial service to celebrate Helen’s life with friends and family will be held at a later date. 

The family suggests any memorials made in Helen’s honor may be made to Conquer Cancer Foundation (support.conquer.org), PO Box 1925, Merrifield, VA 22116-9649.