Knudson, Elmer 1889-1945

KNUDSON, KNUDTSON, GORHAM, CARNEY, ORVIS, WILKE, OLSON

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 7/31/2013 at 01:43:07

Elkader, Ia. - Funeral services for Elmer Knudson, 59, veteran of World War I, who died at the Veterans' hospital, Des Moines, Ia., Sunday, will be held from the residence here at 1:30 p.m to the Norway Lutheran church at 2 p.m. Thursday. The Rev. S.J. Strandjord, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the Norway cemetery. Members of the St. Olaf post of the American Legion will be in charge of the military services.

~Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, Wednesday, October 31, 1945

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St. Olaf, Ia. - Funeral services for Elmer Knudson, 56, veteran of World war I, who died Sunday at the Veterans' hospital, Des Moines, Ia., were held at the Norway Lutheran church here Thursday afternoon. The Rev. S.J. Strandjord, pastor, officiated. Burial was in the Norway cemetery, with the St. Olaf post of the American Legion, conducting military services.

Mr. Knudson, son of Embret and Magdalen Knudson, was born in St. Olaf on Jan. 21, 1889. He worked on farms in this vicinity, and served as a rural mail carrier a number of years.

He enlisted in the navy in 1917 and served on the USS Seattle, a transport, on which he lost his right arm in the line of duty. After being discharged in 1919, he entered Iowa State college, from which he graduated as a seed analyst. He was married to Olive Goehm, of Ames, Ia.

He is survived by his wife; four sisters, Mrs. Mina Orvis and Mrs. Henry Wilke, both of St. Olaf; Mrs. Edwin Olson, Clermont, Ia. and Laura Knudson, Evanston, Ill.; and one brother, Earl Knudson, Mason City, Ia. He was preceded by his parents and one brother.

~Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, Sunday, November 4, 1945

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Added by Reid R. Johnson 3/3/2024:

Clayton County Register, Nov. 08 1945.

Elmer Knudtson, the son of Magdalen and Embret Knudtson, was born in St. Olaf, Iowa, Jan. 21, 1889 and died Oct. 25, 1945 at the Des Moines Veterans hospital.

He grew to manhood in St. Olaf working on farms, as a rural mail carrier, as a carpenter with Albert Peterson and later with his brother Wm. Carney.

In 1917 he heeded the call of his country and enlisted in the navy. He served on the U.S.S. Seattle in a convoy group and after the armistice on a cruiser transport. He made sixteen trips and on the last trip home he lost his right arm in an accident on board ship. After receiving his honorable discharge July 23, 1919, he entered Iowa State Agricultural college at Ames, Iowa, where he graduated with the class of 1922 as a seed analyst.

The same year he married Olive Margaret Gorham, of Ames, and they made their home at Kansas City, Mo., where he was employed by the Rudy Patrick Seed company until failing eyesight made it necessary for him to resign. He returned to St. Olaf where he and his wife have since made their home.

Elmer Knudtson or "Sawdy" as he was called by his friends, was a member of the Norway Lutheran church of St. Olaf and a charter member of St. Olaf Post No. 388 of the American Legion.

Military rites were held at the Norway church Nov. 01, at 2 o'clock with the Rev. Strandjord officiating. Music was furnished by the St. Olaf choir under the direction of Celia Christenson. Burial was made beside his father and mother who preceded him in death.

Survivors are his wife Olive; four sisters, Mrs. Mina Orvis and Mrs. Henry Wilke of St. Olaf; Mrs. Ed Olson of Clermont and Miss Laura Knudtson of Evanston, Ill., and one brother Earl of Mason City; also several nieces and a nephew Henry Wilke, Jr., who is stationed on Saipan, and numerous other relatives. One brother Wm. Carney died several years ago.

Note: His gravestone in Norway cemetery spells his surname KNUDTSON. His parent's gravestone spells surname as KNUDSON.