Knudtson, Dorothy L.

Dorothy L. Knudtson, 86, of Guttenberg died Monday, Feb. 1, 2010, following a sudden illness at the Guttenberg Municipal Hospital surrounded by her loving family. Visitation will be Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Tuecke-Allyn Funeral Home and Cremation Service. Funeral services will be Friday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church, with the Rev. Marvin Bries conducting. Burial will follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.

Dorothy Leona Leliefeld was born on Dec. 17, 1923, to Daniel and Rose (Kleine) Leliefeld in Guttenberg, the second oldest of 15 children. After completing the eighth grade at St. Mary's Catholic School, she started work as a housekeeper to help support her brothers and sisters. Around the age of 18, Dorothy went to work at the American Pearl Button Company. On Aug. 16, 1948, Dorothy married Orvin Knudtson at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Guttenberg. Dorothy was a homemaker. She and Orvin went on to raise eight children together. Her life was family and faith and her advice in life was simple-“Be grateful for what you have”.

Dorothy is survived by her son, Paul Knudtson, and his wife, Ginny, of Ankeny, and their children, Rick Knudtson, Sarah Walker and Rachel (Tim) Kroeger, and Rick's children, Allison and Dominick and Rachel's children, Sara and Nathan; daughter, Janet Hansel, and her husband, Jim, of Guttenberg, and their children, Jeremy Hansel (Stephanie Kiel, Courtney, Austin and Dakota), Josh Hansel (Heather Gladwin, Dylan), and Jessica Hansel (Kirk Brecht) and Josh's daughter, Breanna; daughter, Jackie Guthrie, and husband, Royal “Skeeter”, of Cedar Rapids, and their children, Jami (Alisa) Guthrie, Laura (Brian) Eads, and Shaun (Kellee) Guthrie, and Jami's children, Jake and Emma and Shaun's children, Kaytelynd and Kameron; daughter, Bec Knudtson, and her “seventh daughter”, Ellen Johnson of Guttenberg; daughter, Peggy Greve, and her husband, Jim, of Guttenberg, and their children, Benji Feldpouch (Brenda Burkart, Kayla and Chase), Kiley Greve and Austin Greve and Benji's daughter, Jada; daughter, Linda Ihm, and her husband, John, of Guttenberg and their daughter, Amber (Matt) Cook, and Amber's children, Cooper and Collin; son, Craig Knudtson (Joleen Connell, Cody and Courtney) of Garnavillo; daughter, Chris Schroeder, and her husband, Don, of Guttenberg, and their children, Haley and Elly Schroeder; sisters, Betty Leliefeld, Lois (Dick) Goerdt, Katie (Harry) Ben, Joanie White; brother, Bill (Rita) Leliefeld; and sister-in-law, Bernita Leliefeld; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Orvin, on Mar. 10, 1984; grandchildren, Ronald Guthrie and Sadey Schroeder; brothers, Norman (Lois) Leliefeld, Bernard Leliefeld and Gary (Corinne) Leliefeld; sisters, Vera (Cliff) Mirocko, Opal (Robert) Goerdt, Mary (Manford) Sherriff, Kathleen Leliefeld, Pat (Ford) Bolsinger, Carol Rose Leliefeld; brothers-in-law, Keith White and Elmer (Alverta) Knudtson; and sisters-in-law, Myrtle (Fred) Butikofer and Selma (Gunnar) Landsgaard.