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On the main street of the little town of Gaston
(on Hwy 47), is a large, friendly hometown grocery store, The Gaston
market, owned by Jeff and Elena. When I walked into the store, I
expected a Mom and Pop’s little store. This is not a “little store.”
It goes on and on, anything you want I’,m sure, is there.
Jeff and Elena have
five children”
Hans
-12 years old and in the seventh
grade. He is interested in computers
and technology toys.
Kirsten – 10 years old and in the fifth
grade. She is interested in everything, sports, music, now
plays the trumpet.
Patricia –8 years old and
in the third grade. She is their spiritual child, who wants to
know about God.
Sophia –6 years old and in
the first grade. She has lots of energy.
Lars
- 3 months old. He is happy and very laid back.
The older children go to the
Gaston Public Schools. Patricia goes to Forest Hills Lutheran School.
Rasmussen is a Scandinavian name, Danish, and so the children’s names
were chosen to match.
Jeff went to
college and got his degrees, then decided the grocery store was where he
wanted to be. He and Elena bought the store from his parents four years
ago and Elena has been working in the store with hi for the last two
years. She originally worked there for his parents when she was in
school and that’s how she and Jeff met.
Elena and her
family have lived in Gaston since she was five years old. Jeff and
Elena were married in 1988, fifteen years ago. She went through adult
confirmation and joined Jeff at Mt. Olive Church. They were the first
couple Pastor Bohlken married at Mr. Olive and the only Pastor, Elena
has ever known.
Rasmussens’ live
just three blocks from their store; her parents live one block from
their home and his Mother lives only one mile from the store.
Surrounded by their extended family, their business, and their neighbors
they enjoy a quality of life that we must envy,
(prepared by Annie Jarrell) |
