Laura Louise Griese Knapp Kenney 1921-2003

KENNEY, KNAPP, GRIESE, HAGEBOCK, FLUGSTAD, HANSEN, TIREVOLD

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 4/25/2014 at 22:43:38

Laura L. Kenney
Estherville – Memorial services for Laura L. Kenney, 81, will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, 2003 at the Henry-Olson-Fuhrman Funeral Chapel in Estherville with Gene Krueger, CLP, officiating. Private family graveside services will be held at Lincoln Township Cemetery, Dolliver. She died on Wednesday, April 23 at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.

A time of celebration and remembrance will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday at Henry-Olson-Fuhrman Funeral Home in Estherville.

Laura Louise Griese, the daughter of Hiram and Rosa (Hagebock) Griese, was born Sept. 29, 1921, in Estherville.

She lived with her family as a young child in the Halfa, Iowa area. Later they moved to Dolliver, Iowa and she received her education in the Dolliver school and graduated from Dolliver High School.

She was united in marriage to Harold Knapp on Jan. 25, 1941 in Jackson, Minn. The couple made their home in Dolliver where she was employed by the United States Postal Service and served as Postmaster in Dolliver close to 30 years. On June 21, 1965, Laura was united in marriage to Patrick Kenney in Fairmont, Minn. Laura and Patrick continued to make their home in Dolliver. She retired from the Postal Service in 1978. In the late 1980s the couple moved to Spirit Lake. Laura enjoyed politics, fishing, gardening and snowmobiling as hobbies. After she retired, she also enjoyed performing stand-up comedy at different functions.

She was a member of the United Methodist Church. Laura was very active in the Democratic Party and she served several terms as Chairwoman of the Dickinson County Democratic Party. She served as Community Ambassador to the Governor of the State of Iowa. Laura devoted countless hours of her time and talent to charitable organizations including Upper Des Moines Incorporated. She also volunteered her time to work with gifted children.

Laura received numerous awards including Volunteer of the Year in several different organizations.

Laura is survived by her husband, Patrick; twin sons, Dean Knapp and his wife, Claudia; Don Knapp and his wife, Ginger all of Spirit Lake; four grandchildren, Timothy Knapp, Laura Severn, Dewayne Knapp, Annette Flugstad; five great-grandsons; and three sisters, Ina Hansen of Spirit Lake; Viola Hansen of Riceville, Iowa, and Minnie Tirevold of Morris, Minn.

She had been preceded in death by her first husband, Harold; her parents; two brothers, Martin and Ray; and two sisters, Edna and Verna.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc., or a charity of their choice. (Estherville Daily News, Estherville, IA, April 25, 2003)

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SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa--Services for Laura Kenney, 81, of Spirit Lake will be 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Henry-Olson-Fuhrman Funeral Chapel, Estherville. Burial will be in Lincoln Township Cemetery, Dolliver.

Kenney died Wednesday April 23, 2003, at Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls, S.D. Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. today at Henry-Olson-Fuhrman Funeral Home, Estherville.

Laura Lousie Griese was born Sept. 29, 1921, in Estherville, daughter of Hiram and Rosa (Hagebock) Griese.

Survivors include: husband, Patrick; twin sons, Dean Knapp and Don Knapp, both of Spirit Lake; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; sisters, Ina Hansen of Spirit Lake, Viola Hansen of Ricevill and Minnie Tirevold of Morris, Minn.

Source: Fairmont Sentinel, Fairmont, Minnesota, April 25, 2003.