Leona Knutson Obituary

Leona Mae Knutson, age 95, of Baldwin, WI, passed away on July 6, 2025, at Western Wisconsin Health in Baldwin. She was born May 11, 1930, in Helena Township, Griggs County, North Dakota. She attended Stromme Country School and Hannaford High School. She married Carl Knutson on October 30, 1951, and together were blessed with four children.

Leona, from a very young age, had a passion for anything to do with horses, which brought her a great deal of joy. She loved to read, often found lost in the pages of a good book. She was a big dog lover – especially German Shepard and Husky dog breeds. Wintertime brought out her love for snowmobiling as well.

Leona for many years was a homemaker; she stayed home taking care of the house, raising kids, making homemade bread and home cooked meals. After the kids were raised, she worked doing food service prep at the Baldwin Hospital for thirteen years, until health reasons made her give that up. Being a true Norwegian, she taught her daughter and granddaughters to make lefse, a tradition they continued, and she looked forward to participating in annually up thru 2024.

In her later years, Leona was known for her routine of watching "Wheel of Fortune" and "The Price is Right," which she did religiously. During her time at the Baldwin Care Center, she enjoyed playing bingo. She cherished her moments spent drinking coffee and enjoyed sharing laughter and conversations with neighbors on warm evenings outside her apartment. Her soft-spoken nature and willingness to help those around her defined her character. She was a kind-hearted individual who will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Leona is survived by her sister Shirley (Dwight) Alwin, children Duane (Mimi) Knutson, Roxanne (Jan Tietyen) Gerhardt, Ronda (Terry) Helgeson, and Kevin (Lisa) Knutson; grandchildren Hollie, Joshua (Jennica), Joseph (Jill), Kelly (Chris), Stacy (Chad), Dustin (Shonda), Dillon (Macy), Erik, Bradley (Andressa), and Tyler (Kayla); great grandchildren Chase, Brenden, Grace, Chloe, Taylor, Jordan, Mackenzie, Madison, Chase, Brayden, Brynnlee, Baylee, Blaine, Jax, Marli, and Ivy

Leona is preceded in death by her husband Carl; parents Signa and Victor Mortenson; infant sister Joan Virginia Mortenson, son-in-law Ron Gerhardt, and great granddaughter Lainey Jean Helgeson.

Memorial services will be held on Monday, July 14, 2025, at Peace Lutheran Church, Baldwin, WI. The visitation will be from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, followed by a memorial service at 11:00 AM and a burial at Peace Lutheran Cemetery with lunch being served after. Memorials are preferred to the family.

Many years ago, when preparing an Advanced Planning Guide, Leona asked her daughter to record that she would prefer people to come to her funeral dressed in her favorites: western style shirts and jeans, denim jackets, vests, or any western attire. If you are so inclined, please feel free to do so.