Lawrence Knudson

Lawrence Odell Knudson was born October 17, 1939 in Corral, MN, the son of Ole and Ruth (Olson) Knudson. At the age of five years Larry and his family moved to Nelson, MN. He attended school in Nelson and later in Alexandria. At age seventeen Larry joined the United States Air Force. Larry served in the Air Force for three and one half years. He was stationed in Sioux City, IA. While in the service Larry furthered his education as an electrician. After his discharge Larry returned to Nelson where he looked after his father. He went to work for the Land O?Lakes creamery. On February 11, 1967 Larry was united in marriage to Deanna LeGoo in Osakis, MN. Larry went to work at Alexandria Extrusion as one of their original employees. He later worked for Bellanca Aircraft before joining the Alexandria Parks Department where he worked for ten years. Larry returned to work at Alexandria Extrusion and worked for twenty-seven more years. His co-workers at Extrusion knew him as ?The King?. He was sixty-eight years old when health concerns forced him to retire. Larry enjoyed spending time doing woodworking projects. Larry was proud of his yard and enjoyed taking care of it. He loved watching things grow. Larry looked after his trees, and his flower and vegetable gardens. He also enjoyed classic country music and loved playing his guitar. Often he would sing ?Don?t Be Angry With Me? to Deanna. Larry and Deanna did a lot of crossword puzzles. They loved challenging each other to complete a puzzle. Sometimes they hid a puzzle from the other so they could have first crack at it. Larry was very intelligent and crosswords were only a small measure of that. He could take a look at something and know how to fix it or make it better. He was also a Ford man, nothing else, and spent time fixing old Fords. Larry liked to fish in the summers and he was also proud of his Norwegian heritage. Larry was not a materialistic person. He knew that the best things in life came from love. He was devoted to Deanna and his family. Sharing his life and his love with his wife and children was the most important part of Larry?s daily life. On Friday, December 3, 2010 Larry died at the age of seventy-one years. His parents; two brothers, Clarence and Clayton Knudson; and one sister, Mary Ann Olson, preceded him in death. Larry is survived by his wife, Deanna of Alexandria; son, Clayton ?Scott? Knudson of Alexandria; daughters, Sherry Knudson of Alexandria, Barbara Black and husband, Robert, of Kansas City, MO and Trina Hubenette and husband, Karl, of Alexandria; eight grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Larry is also survived by children, Andrew, Billy and Virginia; and six grandchildren from a previous marriage. A funeral service was held Thursday, December 9, 2010 at Calvary Lutheran Church. Rev. Mark Astrup officiated. Cog Anderson and Sandy Buckner provided music. Interment followed in the Nelson Cemetery. Casket bearers included Don Ziesmer, James Ballard, Rick Zastrow, Jesse Hubenette, Karl Hubenette and Robert Black. Honorary casket bearers included Vernie Lannes, Les Bartholomew, Dan Larson, Brad Mattocks and all of Larry?s Co-workers from Alexandria Extrusion. American Legion Post 87, VFW Post 936 and the Minnesota National Guard accorded military honors. Arrangements were with the Anderson Funeral Home.