Obituary of Arthur Rasner

Arthur Lee Rasner was “hatched”, as he used to jokingly say, on October 28th, 1921, on the family homestead near Tacony, Colorado. He passed away peacefully in his apartment at The Bridge Assisted Living facility in Colorado Springs on Good Friday, April 6th at the age of 90. Art was the eldest of four children born to Frank and Viola (Hitchcock) Rasner. He attended Edison School through the eighth grade. Art was raised with an appreciation of hard work, honesty toward others, and a realization of the value of community support. He also loved riding horses and valued the roar of a good engine in a new vehicle. He met the love of his life, Juanita Melbuer, at a community function and, although she initially thought of Art as a “smart alec kid”, he won her heart and they intended to be married on December 7, 1941. But the Japanese had a different plan for Art and Juanita, so they waited one year and one day later to exchange vows on December 8th, 1942. Even though a failed physical prevented Art from serving this nation in battle, he and Juanita provided through their farm and ranch by raising pinto beans and Hereford cattle. Art always said there was nothing prettier than a “shiny white face on a good lookin’ red cow.” Art and Juanita adopted their son, Roger Leroy, on July 26th, 1952 and adopted their daughter, Jeannine Marie, on January 5th, 1957. Farming and ranching was their life and they later diversified their operation by raising dryland and irrigated corn, alfalfa, wheat, milo, and even sunflowers. They also began crossbreeding their cattle with black Angus to maintain a cutting edge on the market. But they found some time to travel, visiting relatives in neighboring states. Art and Juanita never missed a community or sporting event, be it a rodeo that Roger was competing in, a collegiate basketball game where Jean was playing, or one of the grandkids’ activities. Art served on the Edison Board of Education for 18 years and was instrumental in preventing the school district from being consolidated into a county-wide district in the early 1960’s. Teachers became a scarce commodity in the 1960’s so Art and Edison’s newly-hired superintendent, Duane Edenborough, made a recruiting trip into Texas and Oklahoma to bring quality teachers to Edison. He was a member of the El Paso County Farm Bureau and was one of the founders of the Edison Volunteer Fire Department. Art donated countless hours supporting the Edison 4-H clubs and he attended Kendrick Bible Church. Art loved his family and he could usually be found teaching his passion of farming and ranching to one of his grandchildren. He had a talent for creating his own “inventions” and being able to fix and repair almost anything. Even after declining health forced him to retire and move to assisted living, he continued to ask about the ranch or offer advice on how to repair something. Preceding Art in death were his parents; one brother, Elmer Rasner; and one sister, Pearlie Geist. He is survived by Juanita, his loving and devoted wife of 69 years; his two children, Jean (Harold) Meinzer of Yoder; one sister, Shirley (Herb) Eichman of Rush; four grandchildren, Jake Meinzer of Siloam Springs, AR, Jade Meinzer of Hays, KS, Stacee Rasner of Oklahoma City, and Mandee (John) Campbell of Penrose; four great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.