Shirley May Knudsen

Shirley M. Knudsen was called home to her Heavenly Father on Tuesday, November 17, 2015, at Franklin Country View Nursing Facility in Hampton, Iowa. Shirley May (Foster) Knudsen was born on May 7, 1936, on the family farm north of Latimer, the daughter of Frank and Esther (Nielsen) Foster. She was baptized on June 7, 1936, and confirmed in May of 1950, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Thornton. Shirley attended Prairie Side #9 (rural Latimer), Thornton Public School, and Franklin Consolidated (now CAL), from which she graduated in 1954. She then earned her B.A. Degree from Iowa State Teachers College (now UNI) in Cedar Falls. On November 10, 1961, she married Bryan H. (Ace) Knudsen at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Coulter. Their children are Bryce Allen Knudsen and Sheryl Marie Knudsen-Pringle. Children were always a focal point of Shirley's life from her own children and grandchildren to children of her church and community. She taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School for over 20 years, as well as holding several offices on Nazareth Church Council and Nazareth ELCW. Shirley taught the children of the communities of Marshalltown (3 years), Hampton (South Side 4 ...[more]

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rs), and CAL for 24 years. After retiring she joined Big Brothers/Big Sisters and mentored two girls, Alyssa and McKayla for several years. Being active in her community, Shirley was instrumental in establishing the Coulter Public Library and was co-author of the Coulter History Book. Shirley leaves to mourn, her son Bryce and his wife Teresa of Iowa Falls, four grandchildren, Amity (Todd) VanLoh, Tricia (Luke) Pickering, Ashley Nichole Knudsen and Alexis Jo Knudsen, and four great-grandchildren, Ryne Pickering, Gage VanLoh, Devin Hall and Kenzleigh Pickering. She also leaves three sisters, Norma Tripp, Sandy (Glenn) Johansen and Nadine (Mike) Goodwin. Nieces and nephews include Michelle (Gregg) Stotts, Terry Turner, Sandy (Andy) Andersen, Joe (Michelle) Metz, Chad (Tricia) Metz, Meghan Goodwin and Meredith Goodwin. Great nieces and nephews include Sidney, Nick and Cody Turner, Jerad and Jasmine Andersen, Chase Metz, and Ethan, Tia and Hannah Metz. Along with children, working with church and community activities, Shirley always enjoyed coffee with friends, traveling, reading and spending time with her family. Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Esther Foster, grandparents Harry and Mary (Johnson) Foster, and Marius and Olga (Christiansen) Nielsen, husband Bryan (Ace) Knudsen, daughter Sheryl Pringle and great-nephew Ethan Metz.