PJ Rasmussen

PJ Rasmussen 3/20/2006 – 03/25/2025 ----- PJ Rasmussen, a female Beagle aged 19 years, peacefully passed away at her home in Ivins on March 25, 2025. She was on her family sofa, surrounded by her loving and grief-stricken mom and dad, Barbara and Richard Rasmussen, and neighbors Carole and Richard Fessler. Two and a half years previous to her death, PJ had been diagnosed with cancer, with tumors located in multiple sites on her body. Despite that diagnosis, PJ continued to enjoy some of the best, most active, years of her life. PJ was described by many as “sweet”, and that she was, bringing joy and smiles to many, many people with her unique dogonality. When her mom and dad had out-of-area travels, PJ was often cared for by Annie and Rick Cornwall of Ivins. Annie and Rick loved her deeply, calling her “Princess PJ Goldilocks”, a recognition that PJ would sleep on many beds in their house, like the fairy tale Goldilocks. PJ’s joys in life were daily walks following a scent trail, eating, watching TV and sleeping with her mom and dad. Often on walks she would find something of interest, usually discarded food. She would not eat these treasures, preferring to bury them for the “hard times ahead”. Burying these items was always a 5-step process: Selection of a site; digging a hole; dropping the item into the hole; using her nose to cover the item with surrounding dirt; sand, leaves, wood chips, or rocks; and, finally, tamping the area down with her nose. She was very diligent about this process. Being a Beagle, PJ always wanted to follow a scent trail, whether on the ground or in the air. She amazed her dad with her ability to track a scent to its source, even at a significant distance away or during a strong, gusting, swirling wind. In her younger years, she was able to chase rabbits. In her later years, her pursuits were adapted to hot dogs, hamburgers, and pizza, often found in public parks after weekend human group celebrations. She enjoyed going into active housing construction development areas, finding chicken morsels and bones that had been discarded by construction workers after their lunch. After seizing these morsels and bones, they, too, would be buried by PJ. A week before her passing, PJ was still showing signs of good health and strength. In the days following, her appetite, thirst, strength and vigor rapidly declined, such that she was struggling and no longer enjoying life. No recovery was seen as possible. PJ’s mom and dad thank veterinary doctors Gwen Gadd, Craig Brinkerhoff and Kylie Clarke for their excellent care of PJ over the years. A special thanks is given to Dr. Jessica Smith who assisted PJ in PJ’s peaceful passing at home. PJ’s passing leaves a big hole in her human family’s heart. She was a beloved member of the family. She will be greatly missed. Her family looks forward to a grand, joyful reunion with her sometime in the times ahead. * * * *

PJ Rasmussen

March 20, 2006 - March 25, 2025