Mary Nicole Rasmussen

Mary Nicole Rasmussen (nee Potter), 55, of Thayer, Indiana, passed away suddenly early Saturday, February 21, at home surrounded by her family.

She was the beloved wife of Kenneth Rasmussen, and the loving mother of Kenneth (Jennifer) Rasmussen Jr., Corine Rasmussen and Samantha Rasmussen. She was beloved Nana to her grandchildren Annalise Rasmussen, Jackson Rasmussen, and Mary Rasmussen.

Survivors include her siblings Douglas Potter, Corine (Bob) Bong, Bonnie (Cleveland) George, and Lisa (Ron) Dahmer. She will also be missed by her many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents Frederick Potter and Louise Potter and brothers Michael Potter and Mark Potter.

A longtime resident of Cedar Lake, Mary was originally from Riverdale, Illinois.

Mary was an active member of the community over the years including a stint as a Cub Scout Den Mother. She was a former member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles 2529 in Cedar Lake.

She was well-known as a longtime volunteer with the Cedar Lake Summerfest committee and with her husband, Ken, chaired for years the popular Cedar Lake Great Cardboard Boat Race over the Fourth of July holiday.

“She would get there early to coordinate everything for the boat race from taking registrations to setting up the heats and making sure the winners got their trophies and prize money,” said her husband Ken.

Besides her civic endeavors, Mary was known as the person who kept her extended family informed and together. Whether she was organizing a family reunion, holiday party or a wedding, Mary was the person who held everything together.

“Aunt Mary was the one who reminded our large family of all of the birthdays and anniversaries, she remembered it all. The biggest cheerleader in your life and the one you could always call to help. The details in every party mattered. ‘Foofinating’ was her word for it. Her love was real, intentional and thoughtful. There’s a hole in so many hearts today, she was the glue,” said her niece Jessica Gifford.

Mary had a fondness for rock band T-shirts especially Pink Floyd. Another favorite was a T-shirt honoring Fender guitars.

She also had a love affair with Chuck Taylor All-Stars high-top sneakers and owned several pairs including her special shoes she would wear to fancy occasions. Her love affair with Chucks even seeped into her children and grandchildren.

She was a fanatic for everything “Star Wars” with a keen interest in Jedi master Yoda.

She loved decorating for different holidays and especially enjoyed celebrating Easter. She would spend hours filling hundreds of plastic Easter eggs with money and candy that she would scatter around the yard before setting dozens of kids and adults loose in a series of carefully organized Easter egg hunts. Grand prizes always featured giant chocolate Easter bunnies or huge Easter baskets.

After years of raising a family in what she lovingly called the “world’s smallest house” in Cedar Lake, she found her dream home in Thayer. It was the former 22-room Fogli Hotel, which was built in 1901-02 along the Kankakee River for fishermen hoping to try their luck in what was once called the Everglades of the North. Longstanding rumors were that Al Capone and Teddy Roosevelt once stayed there.

Mary would spend hours rocking on the front porch of the Fogli Hotel, wearing a Pink Floyd T-shirt while either wearing her ever present sunglasses or with them perched atop her head.

Mary was a blessed soul who cared about everybody and that love was felt and shared by anybody who knew her – even slightly.

To know her, was to love her and be loved by her. She will be missed by everybody who ever knew her.

A Celebration of Life will be held Friday from 1-6 p.m. at Burdan Funeral Home and Crematory, 12901 W. Wicker Ave. (Route 41), Cedar Lake, Ind. A prayer service will be held at 5:30 p.m.