I am continually amazed by the number of people who know my husband, Vern Rasmussen Jr., because he’s been their physical therapist. He’s touched (literally) thousands of lives, and those people know Vern as a caring, compassionate and dedicated therapist. Others know him as Mayor Rasmussen and his strong leadership, relationship building, collaboration, outside-the-box forward thinking, and his unending love for and commitment to the success of Albert Lea. I’d like to round that out by sharing a few personal things about Vern. First of all, he is a pretty funny guy, has a playful side, loves to laugh and have fun.

When we met in our early 20s, he told me he planned to return to his hometown because he loved it and aspired to do public service. Back then, I thought, “weird,” but when I moved to Albert Lea, I got it. When Vern proposed marriage, he said, “I don’t do toilets, I don’t iron and I play softball a lot; will you marry me?” And when we decided to start a family, he said, “I don’t do diapers.” No joke! He’s always been a straight shooter! Vern tells the truth; he doesn’t just say what you want to hear. He faces tough challenges head-on and with compassion. He is steady. You know where you stand and what you’re getting with Vern. Yet, he sometimes surprises me — those toilets, ironing and diapers,  when we started our family and had hectic schedules, he did (still does) whatever it takes to cover all bases.

He’s pretty neat; but quirky, too. Vern has a lot of energy. You’ll notice when seated, his legs are usually bouncing (sorry to our church pew mates). He is not long-winded; he’s short on words, but when he has something to say, he says it in an efficient, impactful way. He is super early for everything. I’m the opposite, and it must drive him nuts but he is always patient.

As public officials do, Vern gets phone calls at home from his constituents. Many times I hear an angry voice on the other end. He listens quietly, and then I hear respectful dialogue. By the end of the call, there is generally laughter on both ends of the line. That always amazes me.

Vern focuses on the success of others. He is proud of Albert Lea, its citizens, accomplishments and the positive direction we are going. He has this way of focusing on the positive in every situation (even when there doesn’t seem to be any), acknowledging what went wrong and also what’s right, recognizing what we don’t have control over and then focusing on what we do have within our control.

There is so much more, but I will end with saying that Vern is the most amazing husband and father. I am ever thankful for him and all that he does for me, our family, friends and community. Please join me in voting to re-elect Mayor Vern Rasmussen.

Marilyn Rasmussen

Albert Lea