Guy Madison Rasnic

Guy “Butch” Rasnic, age 71, passed away on December 12, 2025, leaving behind a life defined by devotion to family, service to his country, and a playful wit that found humor in everyday moments.
Born on October 25, 1954, in Bonne Terre, Missouri, Butch grew up in the “Show Me State,” graduating from high school and meeting his wife of 51 years there. While Missouri was where his life began, through his 20 years of service in the United States Navy, he traveled the world and lived in several places, including Virginia, West Virginia, Florida, California, Guam, and Tennessee. His military career remained one of the proudest chapters of his life.
After retiring from the Navy, Butch began a second career with the State of Missouri, serving as Head of Security at a state treatment and rehabilitation facility. He retired from that position in 2012, closing a professional life marked by dedication and integrity.
Butch was preceded in death by his parents, Glendell Rasnic and Clarice Rasnic (Talley), and by his siblings Sue, Daniel “Dink,” and Larry. He is survived by his wife and children, sisters Renee and Delphia, as well as a large and loving extended family that includes a wealth of nieces and nephews and great nieces and great nephews.
At the heart of Butch’s life was his marriage to Willa Rasnic (Lay). They were married for 51 years, meeting when they were both just 18 years old. Willa first noticed him sitting outside with his sister on her front porch—a chance meeting on an ordinary afternoon that quietly became the beginning of a lifetime together.
Butch was a proud father to Tiffany Boyd and Andrew Rasnic and an exceptionally proud grandfather to Skylar, Jacob, Isaac, Michael, Zach, and Sylvia. Being a grandfather brought him immense joy and was one of the roles he cherished most. After retirement, Butch and Willa relocated to Alabama to be closer to their grandchildren, and he delighted in time spent with them.
Known for his teasing humor, Butch was someone people naturally joked with and felt comfortable around. His humor extended even to his own mishaps, including one exciting ride on the Screaming Eagle at Six Flags St. Louis that ended with him needing a brand new set of dentures.
He loved feeding friends and family, often sharing wild game from his hunting trips and playing a guessing game of “What type of meat am I eating?” He enjoyed playing guitar and banjo (anything with strings), fishing, hunting, and could usually be found problem solving some kind of project (including turning a Vega station wagon into an "El Camino" with his brother-in-law and rigging a toggle switch inside his car when the brake lights stopped working so that he could turn them on and off as needed). He found simple pleasure in scratching lottery tickets, visiting casinos to play the slots, and in retirement enjoyed shopping at the commissary, where his enthusiasm for couponing yielded “jackpots” like 20 tubes of toothpaste, 30 boxes of Pop Tarts, and cashiers owing him money. He also loved getting in the car and going on an adventure—driving simply for the pleasure of seeing where the road might lead, counting deer and turkey along the way.
Above all, Butch is remembered as a proud and loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend—a man whose family and Navy service stood as the two great pillars of his life.
No services are planned at this time. A celebration of life will be held in the spring, with details to be shared at a later date.