Nelda was born December 9, 1924 in Preston, Minnesota to Capel and Ada (Kampstra) Larson. She graduated from the Preston High School in 1941 and then the LaCrosse Business College. She worked for a short time for the Fillmore County Extension Office. On September 14, 1944 she married Jerry W. Knowlton at the Union Prairie Lutheran Church in rural Lanesboro. She traveled with Jerry to Kingman, Arizona then to Tampa, Florida while he was in flight training for WWII, and In 1946 they moved to rural Mabel, Minnesota where they farmed for a short time until 1952 when they moved to Canton and operated the Sportsman’s Bar until 1977. Jerry later passed away on August 21, 1997. She stayed active and continued to work at the Sportsman’s and the Canton Liquor Store
She was a member of the Canton-Scotland Presbyterian Church in Canton, the American Legion Auxiliary, and she participated in the Prorati Study Club. She enjoyed crossword puzzles, playing piano (especially 1940’s music), calligraphy, rosemaling, needlepoint, and Saturday, afternoon car rides.
Nelda passed away Friday, September 17, 2010 at Harmony Healthcare in Harmony, Minnesota, at the age of 85.
Nelda is survived by three children Jerilyn (Larry Benson) Knowlton of Mabel, Jerry Nolan (Patricia) Knowlton of Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Mary Jane “Janey” (Zachary) Afseth of Harmony; nine grandchildren Kevin (Bertha) Franzen of Winona, Minnesota, Karla Franzen of Preston, Minnesota, Kelly (Mark) Bartness of Ellendale, Minnesota, Amy (Joel) Whalen of Cheyenne, Laurie (Shawn) Timm of Cheyenne, and Jeremy Knowlton of McGregor, Iowa, Heidi Knepper of Fountain, Minnesota, Brent (Brenda Mensink) Afseth of Preston, Ryan Afseth of Preston,; fifteen great grandchildren; a sister-in-law Gloria Willford of Mabel; and a brother-in-law Bruce (Diane) Knowlton of St. Paul, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Jerry.
Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, September 22, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at the Canton –Scotland Presbyterian Church in Canton with the Rev. Amy Perkins officiating. Burial will be in the Union Priarie Lutheran Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 – 8 Tuesday, September 21 at the Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel, Minnesota and one hour prior to services at the church. |
