MORRIS SELMER KNUDSON

Morris Selmer Knudson March 23, 1932 - July 20, 2011 Morris S. Knudson, 79, of Devils Lake, ND died peacefully on July 20, 2011 in the loving care of his family at the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd, New Rockford, ND. Funeral Services for Morris will be held at the Trinity-Bergen Lutheran Church, Starkweather, ND on Monday, July 25, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. Pastor Rafe Allison will celebrate the service and burial will be at the Storlie Cemetery, Hampden, ND. Visitation will be held at Gilbertson’s Funeral Home, Devils Lake, ND on Sunday, July 24, 2011 from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., with prayer service at 5:00 p.m. Visitation on Monday will be at the church one hour prior to the funeral service. Serving as Casket Bearers for Morris will be: Lyle Baker, Lee Allan Howes, Gene Lang, Richard “Dick” Million, Gordon Sather, Rodger Spidahl, Orville Stinkeoway, and D.P. Wold. Reading of the Scriptures will be Alicia Hanson and Angela Herda. Morris was born on March 23, 1932 on the family farm in rural Starkweather, ND. He was the son of Andrew and Anna (Negaard) Knudson. He attended Royal #3 County School through the 8th grade, and then graduated from Starkweather High School. During his schooling, he also worked on the family farm milking cows and doing field work. After high school he continued to work on the family farm along with his parents. After his father’s death in 1955 he remained on the family farm with his mother. In 1960 Morris continued to farm and worked as a rural mail carrier at the Starkweather Post Office over the next 10 years. He then started working for the Devils Lake Post Office until retiring in 1990. Throughout the years he remained on the family farm and helped care for his mother until her death in 1985. Morris married Almieda Belle Howes on October 8, 1995 in Whitman, ND at the Sarnia Lutheran Church. They made their home on Almieda Belle’s family farm, north of Starkweather, ND. They moved to Devils Lake, ND in 2005 and continued to spend many summers on the Starkweather farm. Morris moved to the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd in New Rockford, ND in September, 2010. Morris enjoyed driving the country side, watching old western movies, and playing whist. He was a kind and gentle man that had a passion for taking care of others. He was a devoted and loving husband, and he immensely enjoyed his new role as a grandfather. The special focus of Morris’s life was his family and friends. Morris was a member of Trinity-Bergen Lutheran Church, The Odd Fellows, Devils Lake Elks Lodge and Eagles Club. Morris is survived by his loving family; wife, Almieda Belle; step-children: Alden (Joni Pulst) Thorson of Webster, ND; Parnell (Louise) Thorson of Waseca, MN; Paulette (Myron) Bosch, of Devils Lake, ND; Vicky (Don) McMullen, of Devils Lake, ND; Monica (Joe) Pierret, of San Jose, CA; and Lee Allan Howes, of Starkweather, ND. Grandchildren: Patrick (Lori) Thorson, Danielle (Jason) Kraft, Melaina (Eric) Bjorklund, Kayla (Scott) Jones, Melissa (Paul) Kitsch, Angela (Scott Bischoff) Herda, Kyle (Nicole) Herda, Alicia Hanson, Brianne McMullen, Amanda McMullen, and Lee D Howes; and 14 Great-Grandchildren. Morris was preceded in death by his parents, Andrew and Anna Knudson, Uncle Martin Negaard, Aunt Emma Negaard, and step-son, Bernard Thorson.