Ann Raffety Obituary

Ann Elizabeth Raffety (née Rasmussen), better known as Suzy, passed away on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at the age of 84, at the Mayflower Community Health Care Center in Grinnell.
Visitation will begin at 10:00 am, Friday, January 31, 2025 at the Calvary Baptist Church in Grinnell and her family will receive friends beginning at 12:30 pm.
A funeral service will be held at 1:30 pm, Friday, January 31, 2025 at the Calvary Baptist Church. A reception will follow the service at the church. Private family burial will follow at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell.
Memorials may be designated to the Ann Raffety Memorial Fund to benefit local education scholarships and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home and Crematory, PO Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with Suzy's family online at www.smithfh.com.
Suzy was born to Grover and Alice (Larsen) Rasmussen on September 7, 1940, in Sioux City, Iowa. After graduating from Leeds High School in 1958, she enrolled at Iowa State University, majoring in home economics. Thanks to alphabetical seating in English 101, she met Howard Raffety. They married on August 4, 1962, and honeymooned throughout the American Northwest, including seeing a drag show in San Francisco. They settled in Grinnell to farm corn, beans, cattle, and hogs with Howard's father LaVerne.
Michael was born in 1963, and Megan in 1968. Suzy was a great supporter for Howard and the farm, cooking meals for the "menfolk" and accommodating the irregular hours of work that farming required. Being a city girl, she was never comfortable driving tractors, but did so when called upon. Animal lover that she was, there were a variety of pets in the home through the years, including her favorites, St. Bernards and Mastiffs. Suzy always kept a beautiful home, drawing on her talent for color and design. Growing up with railroad tracks in her Sioux City backyard, she was right at home when they moved to the Mayflower in 2011, once again hearing the train whistle blow nearby.
Suzy was a member of the Grinnell First Baptist Church, standing by Howard's side in many community organizations, and they closely followed Iowa State sports. Her "Palmer method" flawless handwriting often drew comment and admiration, whether on a birthday card or a check. Suzy and Howard enjoyed vacations with trips to Hawaii, Alaska, and a cruise through the Panama Canal.
Though Suzy was a gentle soul, she had a "mama bear" personality when it came to her children, and was their biggest fan and supporter. She also cherished time with her four granddaughters. The highlight of their summers was a solo trip to Grandma's, reveling in the individual attention, as well as a trip to Wal-Mart to pick out something special.
Even as her memory failed her, her nurturing spirit persevered as she cared for her many stuffed animals. Her gentle soul and steadfast support will be greatly missed.
Suzy was preceded in death by her parents (Grover and Alice), her half-brothers Kenneth Weare (Louise), Rolland (Laura), and Richard (Patricia), and her husband Howard in 2021. She is survived by her son, Michael (Dan Tran) and daughter, Megan (Lance Veldboom), as well as four much-loved granddaughters: Elizabeth (Nathan) Brace, Emmaleah (Tanner) Beam, Naomi Veldboom, and Rebekah Veldboom; and three great-grandchildren, Isaac Nathan and Eliza Joy Brace, and Jonathan Howard Beam.
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