FLASHBACK - Karen Rasmussen's youth through high school years - 1946 -
1964
Below: Karen was born at home in Connecticut. Then she and her mom were taken to a hospital, so Karen could have a birth certificate.
Below: Karen lived with her grandmother and grandfather, Lulu Mae Beam and Harry Monroe Brink in Ansonia, Connecticut until Grandma Brink died when Karen was about 9 years old. Her cousins, the younger Marsh children lived nearby, so eventually, Karen had them as playmates. As a baby, not many photos were taken of Karen, or they may have been lost. It was a nice childhood for Karen because her grandparents loved her.
Karen's Mom, Violet Brink Rasmussen, lived in a different city in Connecticut, so she let Karen live with her parents (Karen's grandparents) in Ansonia. Karen's mom came come to visit at times and brought Karen's siblings with her.
These two photos below were taken on April 23, 1946. At this time, Karen weighed only 5 pounds, 4 ounces although she was just over three months old. See how the sweater covers her feet.
Below: Karen and Grandma Brink in 1947.
Below: A collage of Karen through the years - see her grow below.
Note: Some photos may not be in the correct date order, but Karen did the best she could with the photos she still had in her possession many years later.
Below: Karen in 1947
Below: Karen and her mom, Violet Rasmussen in 1947
Below: Karen with her older siblings in Ansonia in 1947
Karen in 1948
Below: Karen and her older sister Eileen in 1948
1949
1949
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Below: Karen and her older sister, Eileen in Ansonia in 1949
Karen - age 3 - in Ansonia in 1949
Below: Violet Rasmussen and her other children in Ansonia.
Below: Karen and her older sister, Eileen in 1950
Below: 1950 --
Grandma Brink and all of her grandchildren as of this date -
Evie, Bobbie, Eileen and Karen - Grandma Brink is holding Karen's cousin
Barbara Marsh.
The cousins also lived in the same area of Ansonia.
1950
Below: 1950
Below: 1950
Below: Karen on a horse in 1950
Below: Karen in 1950 - age 4
Below: 1951 - Karen Rasmussen - age 5 and her cousin, Barbara Jane Marsh
Below: Eileen and Karen 1951
Below: Santa Claus and Karen in 1952 - age 6
Below: Karen in 1953
Below: Everette Rasmussen visited his mom, Edna Iantha Beers Rasmussen and a couple of photos were taken. Below are photos of Karen with her grandmother, Edna Rasmussen in 1954
Below: Karen and her black eye
After Grandma Brink died, Karen was sent to live with her Mom, first at 9 Van Zant Street in Norwalk, Connecticut. Then at Harbor View Island, South Norwalk, Connecticut, where the photos below were taken.
Below: She is with her younger sister, Ilse and their cousin Linda in a kiddie pool.
Below: Each year, Harbor View in South Norwalk, Connecticut had a Memorial Day Parade and different children were chosen to march in the parade with USA flags. In 1956 Karen was chosen to carry the wreath in the parade and place it at a memorial. It was a big honor.
Below: For some reason, In 1956, Karen's Mom took her grandmother, to Florida. Since Karen had a broken arm, and needed help getting dressed so she had to go too. Eileen was not happy that she did not get to go too.
Below: Karen and her cousin
Warren Christian Rasmussen Jr in 1956
Below: Karen and some parrots
on her arm that was not broken.
Below Karen in Florida in 1956
Below: School photo for 1956 - 1957 school year.
Below: Eileen married her first husband Hank Ferland. Karen was a "flower girl". (After Hank died, Eileen married Dan Pethoud and they had two children). Karen actually remembers Hank and liked him because he always treated Karen as a person.
Below: Karen and her youngest siblings, Ilse and Eric in 1960. Karen became their unpaid babysitter for many years.
Below: The family moved from Connecticut to Redondo Beach, California in 1960 where Karen attended 8th grade at Adams School. Any other school photographs were lost. But Karen has a box of old photos, she may look through eventually.
Below: Karen's Freshman and Sophomore School photos at Redondo Union High School, located at 1 Sea Hawk Way, Redondo Beach, California which serves students in grades 9 - 12. BUT Karen only spent grades 9 and 10 here because the family moved to Lakewood, California and then Karen attended Artesia High School (photos below are 2 Redondo High School photos and the other photos follow)
Below: Karen at age 14
Below: Karen at age 15
In 1961, during her high school years, Karen drove and raced in a 1/2 Midget Race Car at several racetracks in California in the teen division. Her older brother, Evie John also drove the same car in the adult division on the same dates. The first photo below shows Evie giving Karen some instructions in her first race.
Below: Karen is
not sure on which date she won a first place trophy, but it was in 1961.
But because her father got in a fight in the pits and was banned from
the racetrack, Karen's racing career was cut short. So she never had the
chance to win more trophies. (Later, she joined the U.S. Navy and when
she returned on leave to her parents house, the trophy was no longer there)
(some military photos are linked at the bottom of this page)
Below: Both of
Karen's younger siblings, Ilse and Eric, did NOT want to drive the race
car in this younger division. So Karen's "father" found
younger children to drive 1/4 midget race cars, and the family,
including Karen, went to the races to watch. Karen had to be photographed
with whoever was driving the race car that her father purchased, which
was several different young boys. First it was the Wicker family, which
Karen adored, plus Karen loved sitting with Mrs. Wicker to watch the races.
Then it was the Beard family.
Below: These photos were also taken at race tracks after Karen's racing days was over, due to no fault of her own, as explained above.
Karen moved from Redondo Beach to Lakewood, California. Below are Karen's 11th and 12th grade high school photos at Artesia High School, 12108 East Del Amo Blvd, Lakewood, California.
Below: Karen at age 16
Below: Karen at age 17
Below: In 1962 and 1963, Karen was on the Swim Team at Artesia High School in Lakewood, California and she won several ribbons in competition. Mrs. Wicker often came to watch the competition.
Below: (IF Karen finds the other ribbons, she will post them here - remember this page was not built until the year 2026)
Below: Karen Rasmussen's High School Graduation photos and her youngest sister Ilse. (children #4 and #5 out of 6 total)
Below: Karen outside of her parents house in Lakewood, California
THE 1964 ARTESIA HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION CLASS (a very big class)
Below: A photo of Karen with the hair-do shown in the graduation photo above (taken on that same day).
A few months after graduation from High School,