KNUDSEN, Helen Marjorie (Thompson)(Bless) 1928-1998

KNUDSEN, BLESS, JOHNSON, THOMPSON

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 5/25/2010 at 22:41:27

#1:

Helen M. Knudsen

ST. ANSGAR, IOWA — Helen M. Knudsen, 69, of rural St. Ansgar, died Monday, August 10, 1998, at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Toeterville, with the Rev. Dr. David H. Palm and the Rev. Barbara Finley-Shay officiating. Burial will be in the St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar.

Helen M. Knudsen was born October 13, 1928, in Worth County, to Orlando H. and Ida G. (Johnson) Thompson. She was baptized on November 11, 1928, at Shell Rock Lutheran Church, Northwood, and confirmed on May 7, 1944, at Deer Creek Lutheran Church, Carpenter, Iowa.

She graduated from Northwood High School and then from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. She taught in various area schools.

Helen married Darold Bless on June 14, 1952, at Deer Creek Lutheran Church, Carpenter, in a double ceremony with their brother and sister, Marion and Howard. Helen and Darold were married for 31 years until the time of Darold's death in 1983. Helen then married Thomas Knudsen on January 1, 1991, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Toeterville.

Helen was a member of the St. Ansgar Garden Club and also a state flower show judge. She was an active member of St. Peter Lutheran Church, serving in various church offices.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents, husband and one brother.

She is survived by her husband, Thomas, of St. Ansgar; two sons, Doug Bless of Toeterville, and Dennis Bless of Edina, Minn.; two daughters, Bonnie Bless-Boenish of Sequim, Wash., and Kimberly Taets of Basalt, Colorado; one brother, Harvey Thompson of Fairfield Bay, Arkansas; one sister, Marion Bless of St. Ansgar; eight grandchildren; two step-sons, Anders Knudsen of St. Ansgar, and James Knudsen of St. Ansgar; step-daughter, Ruth Smillie of Atlantic; 11 step-grandchildren; and two foster sons, Cam VanLam and Binh VanLam, both of Sioux City.

Source: Mason City Globe Gazette, August 12, 1998
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#2:

Helen M. Knudsen, 69, of rural St. Ansgar, died on Monday, August 10, 1998, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, Olmsted county, Minnesota.

Funeral services will be on Thursday, august 13, 1998 at 10:00 A.M. at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Toeterville, with the Rev. Dr. David H. Palm and the Rev. Barbara Finley-Shay officiating. Burial will be in the St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. today at the Schroeder & Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar.

Helen M. Knudsen was born on October 13, 1928, in Worth County, Iowa, to Orlando H. and Ida G. (Johnson) Thompson. She was baptized on November 11, 1928, at Shell Rock Lutheran Church, Northwood, and confirmed on May 7, 1944, at Deer Creek Lutheran Church, Carpenter.

She graduated from Northwood High School and then from Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls. She taught in various area schools.

Helen married Darold Bless on June 14, 1952, at Deer Creek Lutheran Church, Carpenter, in a double ceremony with their brother and sister, Marion and Howard. They were married for 31 years until the time of Darold's death in 1983.

Helen then married Thomas Knudsen on January 1, 1991, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, Toeterville.

Helen was a member of the St. Ansgar Garden Club and also a state flower show judge. She was an active member of St. Peter Lutheran Church, serving in various church offices.

Helen is survived by her husband, Thomas, of St. Ansgar; two sons, Doug Bless of Toeterville, and Dennis Bless of Edina, Minnesota; two daughters, Bonnie Bless-Boenish of Sequim, Washington, and Kimberly Taets of Basalt, Colorado.; one brother, Harvey Thompson of Fairfield Bay, Arkansas; one sister, Marion Bless of St. Ansgar; eight grandchildren; two step-sons, Anders Knudsen of St. Ansgar, and James Knudsen of St. Ansgar; step-daughter, Ruth Smillie of Atlantic, Iowa; eleven step-grandchildren; and two foster sons, Cam VanLam and Dihn VanLam, both of Sioux City, Iowa.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents, husband and one brother.

Source: St. Ansgar Enterprise – From St. Ansgar Museum Collections
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NOTES:

According to her service folder, the casket bearers were: Larry Bless, Dale Finnesgaard, David Thompson, Steven Morasch, Skip Thompson, Anders Knudsen and James Knudsen. Schroeder and Sites Funeral Home, St. Ansgar, was in charge of arrangements. (Credit: Karen Robertson)