Francis Knutson

Francis Roland Knutson, age 88, passed away at Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, on Tuesday, January 31, 2012. He was born September 4, 1923 in the Town of Wilson, Dunn County to Julius and Edith (Shipley) Knutson. He attended Blairemore School in Ridgeland and High School in Colfax.
He married Arla Mae Robertson, April 15, 1944 in Prairie Farm and together they raised five sons. He farmed in the Connersville and Prairie Farm area until 1972. They moved to Amery where Francis worked at Corey Oil and Amery Equity and was a deacon at Our Saviors Lutheran church. He loved golfing, playing cards & dice. His wife passed away in 1993 and Francis remained in Amery until 2000.
On January 6, 2001, Francis married Gladys Lind at Colfax Lutheran Church. They lived on the Lind homestead, in rural Colfax, until his death. He enjoyed four-wheeling and helping Gladys do Norwegian baking and making doughnuts.
He was preceded in death by his parents: Julius and Edith (Shipley) Knutson; his first wife: Arla Mae; one foster son: Leroy Rolstad; two infant brothers; two sisters: Irene Gowin and Delora Smith; two brothers: Kenneth and Leonard Knutson; one step-daughter: Wanda Kamrath.
Francis will be greatly missed by his wife: Gladys; four sons: Gary (Ila) Knutson, Dale (Dawn) Knutson, Niles (Marcia) Knutson, Norman (Becky) Woods; nine grandchildren: Jodi (Greg) Emmerich, Ryan (Shannon) Knutson, Darren (Susan) Knutson, Cory (Libby) Knutson, Chris Knutson, Anthony Knutson, Nathaniel and Miranda Woods and Bryan Rolstad; nine great-grandchildren; three step-children Greg (Sharon) Lind, Jane (Ron) Goebel, Carol (Steve) Meyer, one step son-in-law: Jeff (Faye) Kamrath; five step grand children: Julie Lind, Josh (Erin) Lind, Jessica Lind, Lyndee Kamrath and William Kamrath; five step great-grandchildren; three sisters: Marcella Hays, Joanne (Robert) Dowd, Bonnie Huset; two brothers: Clifford (Theresa) Knutson and Donald (Judy) Knutson; two brothers-in-law: John(Bonita) Robertson and Tim Robertson; four sisters-in-law: Donna Jean Vaughan, Margaret (Emil Weber) Christianson, Betty (David) Iverson and Laila Melgaard; numerous other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be held, Saturday Feb. 4, 2012 at 1:00 PM at the Colfax Lutheran Church, with the Dr. Rev. Les Walck officiating. Interment will be at the Evergreen Cemetery in Prairie Farm following the service. A visitation will be held at Olson Funeral Home in Bloomer on Friday, Feb. 3, 2012 from 4-7 PM and one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday.