In Loving Memory of Carol Marie Healy

Carol Marie Healy, age 83, passed away on April 22, 2018 in Colorado Springs.

Mrs. Healy was born on January 30, 1935 in Omaha, Nebraska to Josva Marinus Rasmussen and Karen Larsen Rasmussen. She received a B.S. in Biology and Education from Midland Lutheran College in Nebraska and taught high school biology in the 1950’s and 60’s.

Carol’s great passion was tending to the growth of young minds, as a teacher of both biology and music. During the years that she taught biology she was also the band director, and worked for many years as a private voice coach and piano teacher, patiently and passionately opening countless minds and ears to the wonder of music and imparting her love of art and culture to her students and, of course, her own daughters.  Each Sunday morning her girls awoke to the sound of Carol playing Clair de Lune, her favorite piece.

When Carol wasn’t teaching, she was performing all over Colorado and parts beyond. She sang with Opera Colorado for twelve years, as well as the Morrison Opera House, the Central City Opera House and other venues too numerous to list. In 1974, she toured nine countries in Europe with Colorado Chorale. Her production company, Carol Music Studio, brought several beloved shows to life, including The Mikado and Jesus Christ Superstar.

Carol was a seeking intellect; her areas of interest and instruction to her family went far beyond music. She loved to cook and enjoyed canning the things she grew in her garden. She knew how to choose the perfect cut of meat. She was involved with her daughters’ Girl Scout troops and loved to take them on the camping trips – and, occasionally, she brought them to nursing homes to sing for the residents while she played the piano. Later in life she developed an interest in her heritage and became an amateur genealogist. She set an example of what a well-rounded person could bring to the world around them.

Carol leaves behind three daughters, Karen Herrera (Theodore), Kathleen Healy and Kristina Healy; a grandson, Theodore F. Herrera; a brother, LeRoy Rasmussen; a sister-in-law, Monica Yost; a great-granddaughter, Audrey Herrera; 7 nieces and nephews and many great- nieces and nephews.

Gone before her are her husband, Franklin E. Healy; her parents, Josva and Karen Rasmussen; her brother, Rev. LaVern Rasmussen; her nieces, Susan Burlimann and Susan Alexander; and her sisters-in-law, Vonda Healy and Lillian Rasmussen; and her brother-in-law, James R. Healy.

The Family will be greeting friends from 2:00pm to 5:00pm Friday, April 27, 2018 at the Return to Nature Funeral Home parlor, 123 East Las Animas Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903. All are welcome to please come and share a time of remembrance with family and friends.

The family requests that donations please be placed in Carol’s name to the following:

Kindred Hospice or The Alzheimer’s Association

Services are under the direction of Return to Nature Funeral Home returntonaturecolorado.com