Laura Dorothy Knutson

Laura D. Knutson age 106 of Westbrook, MN died Thursday, March 15, 2012 at the Good Samaritan Center in Westbrook. Services will be 11:00 AM Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Westbrook. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church on Tuesday beginning at 10:00 AM. Interment will be in the Westbrook Cemetery, with a luncheon served in the church social hall immediately following the burial. The Almlie Family Funeral Home of Westbrook, Tracy and Balaton is handling the arrangements. Laura Dorothy Knutson was born June 17, 1905 to Arthur and Georgina (Goodfellow) Carey at Aitken, MN. As a young child, she moved with her family to Amo Township in Cottonwood County near Storden, MN. She began her formal education attending country school, District’s #49 and #76. She also attended school in Spokane, WA for two years at the age of 14. She then returned home and graduated from Westbrook High School in 1924. On February 16, 1927 she married Sever A. Knutson at her parent’s home in Rosehill Township. Following their marriage they resided on the family farm northwest of Westbrook until 1955, where they raised their two children. They lived on a farm east of Westbrook for seventeen years, before moving into their retirement home in Westbrook in 1972. Laura owned and operated Knutson Ready to Wear in Westbrook for several years, in addition to caring for her home and family. She was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church and a charter member of the Westbrook Hospital Auxiliary. During leisure time, Laura enjoyed crafts, handwork, and visiting with friends, when they stopped by for tea or coffee. Over the years, she and Sever enjoyed many trips together. Her family was of prime importance to her, as she counted her grandchildren and great grandchildren among her greatest joys. Following Sever’s death in 1986, Laura continued living in her home until September of 2003, when she became a resident of the Good Samaritan Center in Westbrook. She resided there until the time of her death on March 15, 2012 at the age of 106. Grateful for having shared her life are her son, Leland (Jo) Knutson of Apple Valley, MN; daughter, Georgina Savat of Minneapolis, MN; five grandchildren, Jon (Jean) Savat of Maplewood, MN, Joel (Dawn) Savat of Shoreview, MN, Jan (Tom) Lynch of Denver, CO, Anita (Gary) Smart of Cincinnati, OH, and Lisa (Mike) Zylkowski of Credit River, MN; twelve great grandchildren; grandson-in-law, Ed Knutson-Smisek; nieces, nephews and many friends. Her husband, Sever, her parents, granddaughter, Wanda, daughter-in-law, Betty, son-in-law, Severin, two brothers, Albert and Laurence and four sisters, Helene, Josephine, Violet and Lulu( who died this past year at the age of 105), preceded her in death.