Obituaries Announcements
Sarah Beatrice Knudson, age 95, of rural Hiawatha, Kansas passed away on Friday, August 1, 2025, at the Amberwell Hospital, Hiawatha, Kansas.
Sarah was born to Alfred and Inga (Larson) Torkelson on June 12, 1930, at the Horton Hospital, Horton, Kansas. She grew up on a farm two miles east of Horton and went to a one room country school, (Mound Valley) for eight years. She walked to school with her siblings and had perfect attendance. She graduated from Horton High School in 1948 and then attended Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota for one year. She sang in the Augsburg "Choral" Choir that toured many Lutheran churches in Minnesota and British Columbia, Canada. She attended and graduated from Highland Community Junior College, Highland, Kansas with a degree in education. She taught at Mound Valley Country School and Maple Grove Country Schools.
Sarah married Don Vernon Knudson June 27, 1953, at Zion Lutheran Church, Everest, Kansas. Don and Sarah were blessed to celebrate 71 years of marriage together. They are the parents of two sons, Douglas Alan Knudson and Mark Edward Knudson.
Sarah was a lifetime member of the Zion Lutheran Church where she served as secretary of the women's organization, singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School, playing piano for the women's monthly meetings and playing at nursing homes. Sarah loved helping her husband on the farm. In the spring she would buy 300 chicks and would raise them for laying hens. She would sell the eggs to the Willis grocery store and to Askren Grocery in Horton. Sarah also raised many pigs and cared for them in the farrowing house. Gardening, which she learned from her father, was a big part of her life. Her gardens were full of beautiful flowers, vegetables and fruit trees. Sarah lived a life of sharing and caring.
She was a teacher all her life teaching her children and grandchildren Bible stories, verses, prayers and how to serve and love God. They loved coming to her home for dinner, and her pies were the highlight of her meals.
Sarah was proud of her Norwegian heritage teaching her children Norwegian prayers. She traveled to Norway several times and hosted their visits to Kansas. Sarah and Don enjoyed many trips with her sisters and husbands.
Sarah is survived by her son Mark (Marcia) Knudson, Hiawatha, Kansas, grandchildren Tricia (Chris) Ricklefs, Atchison, Kansas, Matthew Knudson, Horton, Kansas, Michael (Paige) Knudson, Horton, Kansas, Meredith (Matt) Mueller, Hiawatha, Kansas and great grandchildren Carlie Clary, Lawrence, Kansas, Brent Clary, Marshall, Missouri, Madison Mueller and Mason Mueller, Hiawatha, Kansas and Fenley Knudson and Archie Knudson, Horton, Kansas. Her sister, Rita Baer, Lewiston, Minnesota and brother- in- law, Paul Leverentz, St. Paul, Minnesota.
She was preceded in death by her husband Don Knudson, her son Douglas Alan Knudson, her parents Alfred and Inga Torkelson, sisters Aurelia (Charles) Fouts, Virginia (Keith) Moots, Karen Leverentz, brother Charles Alfred Torkelson and brother- in- law Roger Baer.
Visitation will be Thursday, August 7, 2025, at 10 a.m. with funeral services to follow at 11 a.m. both will be held at the Zion Lutheran Church, 1521 Prairie Road, Everest, Kansas. Memorials in Sarah's honor are suggested to Zion Lutheran Church Memorial Fund and may be sent in care of the Dishon-Maple- Chaney Mortuary, 909 Central Ave, Horton, KS 66439.