Doris Joan Rasner

Doris Joan (Azevedo) Rasner, aged 99, of Robinson, Texas passed away quietly in her sleep on June 13, 2024; she was born in Benicia, California on July 2, 1924. 

Doris was an avid vocalist her entire life, becoming an accomplished singer with numerous live appearances on local radio stations. She released several records but the highlight of her singing career came in the early and mid-1940’s when she was recruited to sing as a USO Girl during World War II in order to inspire soldiers who were destined for the front lines. In addition, Doris was selected to be part of a team of talented young singers who travelled the nation to solicit donations for War Bonds in order to support the war effort. 

During this time Doris also worked as an office assistant at the Benicia Arsenal in northern California that produced munitions for the war. It was there that she met the love of her life, a young soldier, and Texan, named Gustav Charles Rasner, “Gus”. Between overseas deployments Gus was also intermittently assigned to the Benicia Arsenal and the two developed a wartime romance. After Gus returned from the war the couple eloped to Reno, Nevada in November of 1945. The couple remained married for 75 years.

Gus continued his military service, and they were stationed in many locations during the Cold War, including Anchorage, Alaska; Cheyenne, Wyoming: Chanute, Illinois; and finally, Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, California. Gus and Doris had four children, each of whom were born at different military bases across the United States. Eventually Gus retired from the military at James Connally Air Force Base in Waco, Texas. After leaving the service, Gus and Doris settled in Robinson, Texas where they raised their four children, and, once the children were of age, Doris held several jobs in around the Waco area including working as a private administrative assistant and at the Veterans Administration. 

In the 1980s, Doris found her dream job at Baylor University where she was able to rekindle her love of music. She worked as the secretary at the Baylor School of Music in the Theory, Keyboard and Strings Department for many years . . . and loved every minute of it. She was passionate about Baylor sports and was avid fan of the Baylor Bears.

Doris is preceded in death by her husband Gustav Charles Rasner, her parents, Ronald Joseph (Joe) Azevedo and Eldura Mae De Silva Azevedo, and her sisters Eleanor Beck, Jean Marie Medley, and her brother Ronald (Ronnie) J. Azevedo. She is survived by her youngest sister, Wilma Vinson. 

She is also survived by her four children Janine Doris Whatley (Dannie Whatley) of Waco, Texas, Robert Leslie Rasner (Debra Lynn Rasner) of Waco, Texas, Candyce Anne Rasner Jones (Jeffrey David Jones) of Austin, Texas, Gustav Charles (“Charlie”) Rasner (Sarah Binion) of Austin, Texas, her eight grand-children Christopher Robert Duncan, Kimberly Diane Duncan, Ashley Erin Rasner Sutton (Eric Sutton), Shelby Alexis Rasner, Jeffrey David Jones II, Coleman Charles Jones, Samuel Robert Rasner, Hallie Anne “Ray” Rasner, and four great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00AM Wednesday, June 19, 2024, at Waco Memorial Funeral Home Chapel. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in honor of Doris Rasner to the Baylor University School of Music Theory Excellence Fund, the Baylor University School of Music Strings Excellence Fund, or the Baylor University School of Music Voice Excellence Fund.