Edmund "Ed" Rassler

Edmund "Ed" Rassler, age 82, of Dowling Park, Florida formerly of Varina, Iowa died on Thursday, January 10, 2019 at the Lake City VA Hospital in Lake City, Florida. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Varina. Burial will be in the Varina Cemetery in Varina. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Serenity Place Hospice; 619 South Marion Avenue Lake City, Florida 32025. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. Ed was born on June 28, 1936 to Albert Bernard and Isabelle Myrtle (Boettcher) Rassler. Ed was the oldest of eight children, and grew up in the Varina, Iowa area, working on farms. After graduating from Varina High School, Ed did road construction in Iowa and Minnesota, mostly so he could be outdoors! In 1957, Ed enlisted in the United States Navy. While stationed in Jacksonville, FL, Ed met and married Ellen Patricia (Pat) Farmer in 1962, and they had three children. He was proud to serve his country, retiring from the navy as an Aviation Senior Chief after 20 plus years. He continued his aviation career with McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, as a Navy Liaison for Avionics on new military aircraft. Ed traveled to several countries and resided in Canada while providing training on the aircraft. Ed retired from Boeing/McDonnell Douglas to his farm near St. Louis with his second wife Marilyn, and was later joined by his son, Keith. Ed loved to read and to research family history, and he loved to be outdoors. He was always outside tinkering and doing chores – gardening, yardwork, or tending to the cattle. Nearing 80 years old, Ed sold the farm in Missouri, and bought another closer to his family in Florida, where he resided with his son until his passing. Ed never missed a Varina High School reunion or any of his Rassler family reunions. He loved to come and visit everyone in Iowa and Minnesota, on both his mom’s and dad’s side of the family. Ed is survived by his wife Marilyn Rassler, his three children, Sheryl Rassler Revis (Joseph) of Atlantic Beach, Florida, Arno Keith Rassler of Dowling Park, FL and Leigh Ann Rassler of Jacksonville, FL, and their mother Pat, grandsons Justin and Jared Revis, sisters Annabelle (Ronnie) Chindlund of Storm Lake, IA, Margaret (Peg) Anderson of Storm Lake, IA, Velma (Val) Totten of Rembrandt, IA, Nadine (Kelly) Meyer, of Spirit Lake, IA, his brother Kenneth (Becky) Rassler of Rembrandt, IA, sisters-in-law Sally (Raymond) Rassler, Susan (Wesley) Farmer and Robin Farmer, and brother-in-law Richard (Pat) Farmer, plus many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Ed was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Vernice Buckendahl, his brother Raymond Rassler, brothers-in-law Jerry Buckendahl, Gordon Totten and Wesley Farmer, and nephews Scott and Troy Chindlund. Fair winds and following seas……

Edmund "Ed" Rassler

June 28, 1936 - January 10, 2019