Della L. Rasmussen-Westerman. September 11, 1921 – September 25, 2009. Della began her new journeys on Fri., Sept. 25, 2009. A celebration of her remarkable life will be held at Westminster Presbyterian Church, at 5236EE B St. in Tacoma, on Thur., Oct. 8, 2009, at 11:00EAM, followed by a reception in the gathering room, a place of refuge very precious to her. Afterwards, a small ceremony will be held graveside at Mountain View Funeral Home in Lakewood. Born in Orofino, Id, her parents moved her with them to Long Beach, Ca during the Roaring O20’s. The depression took it all away, however, and they moved back to Orofino, where she grew up and graduated high school, met Raymond J. Galarneau and fell in love. They were married in 1940, and moved to the small berg of Greer, Id, where Ray worked until he was drafted into the Army. Not one to be left behind. Della joined the Women’s Army Corps., and soon was shipped on the Queen Mary to England, then Scotland, where she spent “the coldest winter” of her life. After the war, she was returning home on a French ship which became shipwrecked in a hurricane in the Azores, and after 2 weeks, the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise arrived to safely return them home. Once back in Idaho, life resumed normalcy. She and Ray adopted 2 infant girls, Yvonne and Teresa and a son, Russell, over the next 9 years. However, people change, and in 1957, Della left the mountains for the more populated region of Tacoma, with her 3 children and stayed with her mother, Alda Webb, until securing employment and ultimately purchasing a small home in S. Tacoma. hard times were afoot then, and in 1960, the 2 girls returned to live with their father in Idaho. Della and Rusty, remained in Tacoma. In 1961, Della met Oscar Rasmussen, a homebuilder and in 63 remarried, and they built a house together where they lived until his death in 1980. Della remained in that house until she met Bob Westerman, or R.T. as he was known, and they were married in 1990. She became a snowbird for a couple of winters after that, spending time in Yuma, Az with her new husband. Unfortunately, Bob passed in 1991, and she was on her own again. She moved to the Parkland area, where she became more active with the church, serving as a Deacon for a time, and hosting meetings at her home. She also traveled to Australia and New Zealand, took cruises through the Panama Canal and the Inside Passage to Alaska, and enjoyed her close group of friends, who referred to themselves as “The Golden Girls.” Della is survived by her son, Dr. Russ Galarneau and his wife Mindy, and her daughters, Yvonne Burke and her husband Andrew, Teresa Galarneau, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her humor and optimism are missed by all who had the joy to have known her. Arrangements by Mountain View Funeral Home. 253-584-0252. Please sign online guestbook at www.mountainviewtacoma.com.