Ruth Knudson

Ruth Marian (Blanchard) Knudson, 95, died on February 17, 2011 at Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community in Waverly following a stroke. As is the family tradition, Ruth deeded her body to the University of Iowa Medical School. Memorial services will be Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Albion United Methodist Church with a time of fellowship to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials in her name for the Albion Municipal Library.Ruth was born March 14, 1915 on the farm of her great-grandparents, Thomas and Amanda Swearingen, west of Albion. She was the only daughter of Frank and May Lesan Blanchard, and lost a younger brother to whooping cough in infancy. She graduated from Albion High School at the age of 16 and taught at the one-room Moninger School before attending the State University of Iowa. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate in English and journalism, she taught those subjects on the high school level in Rock Island, IL., LaMoille, Clemons and Creston, IA. After earning a masters degree in journalism from Iowa State University, she taught English and journalism, and was the yearbook, poetry magazine and newspaper advisor at Evergreen Park Community High School in a then newly-developed suburb of Chicago, until her retirement in 1969. On June 28, 1938, Ruth was married to (then State Representative) John Knudson of Marshalltown on the lawn of her parents home. They farmed near LeGrand for several years, then bought the Swearingen family farm. They were married 61 years; he preceded her in death on Feb. 15, 2000. Ruth and John were the parents of two sons, Stephen Hugh Knudson and Thomas Andrew Knudson, and one daughter, Mary Ann (Knudson) Dooley.Ruth was a member of the Albion United Methodist Church, the Mayflower Society, and past member of the Central Iowa Genealogical Society and the Marshall County Historical Society. She had been a Cub Scout den mother and long-time 4-H leader. Education, reading, researching family history and restoring and stewarding the family farm were her lifelong passions. She wrote both professionally and for pleasure, and published two books of family history that combined genealogy with family stories. In her later years gardening, sketching and oil painting gave her joy. She is survived by her three children and their families: Dr. Stephen & Phyllis Knudson, Dayton, OH, his son Robert Tycho & Nicole Knudson of Norfolk, VA., Phyllis two daughters and four grandchildren; Tom Knudson, Tampa, FL, and his daughters, Dr. Deborah & Juan-Carlos Cardet, Boston, MA, and Stephanie Knudson, San Juan, PR; and Mary & Alan Dooley, rural Albion, and their children, Sarah & Ben Rothman of Independence, Iowa, Melissa & Joe Barber of Waverly, and Wade Dooley, rural Albion, and their five grandchildren: Spenser and Molly Rothman, Samuel, Nicholas and Alexandria Barber. Also surviving are a brother-in-law, Kenneth and Roberta Knudson, Marshalltown, several nieces, nephews and cousins. Preceding her in death, in addition to her husband and infant brother, was her granddaughter Marta Miquela Knudson.Mitchell Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements