Cleone M. “Toni” Knudtson
Cleone M. “Toni” Knudtson, 87, passed away Friday, July 21, 2017 at St. Mary’s Hospital, Rochester, Minn., surrounded by her family. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 25, at Salem Lutheran Church, Lake Mills, with Pastor Melinda McCluskey officiating. Burial will be in Salem Memorial Cemetery, rural Lake Mills. Visitation for Toni will be from 5-7 p.m., Monday, July 24, at Salem Lutheran Church and will continue one hour prior to the service on Tuesday. Mittelstadt Funeral Home in Lake Mills is assisting the family.
Cleone Mae (Hallett) Knudtson, the daughter of Allen and Mae (Juhl) Hallett, was born March 30, 1930 in Gettysburg, S.D. She attended school in Forest City.
She worked at the Forest City Telephone Office, Lake Mills Community School and the Lake Mills Care Center, and for many years, babysat for friends in her home.
On Dec. 12, 1948, she was married to Melburn E. Knudtson at Faith Lutheran Church, Miller. They lived on a farm west of Lake Mills, where they raised their family.
Her family and friends have fond memories of her rolling lefse and baking kringla and generously sharing with everyone. She enjoyed her home and family spending time housekeeping and tending to her lawn and flower garden. A favorite pastime was reading her favorite cookbooks. She and Melburn traveled to Norway on two occasions to visit relatives and took several trips to Texas, Nevada and Florida. Cleone opened her home every Sunday morning for family coffee, serving her baked goods and enjoyed Tuesday morning coffee breaks with her friends in downtown Lake Mills.
She was a member of Salem Lutheran Church.
Those left to cherish her memory are her children: Michael (Kathy) Knudtson, Rosalie (Michael) Helgeson, and Kerby (Karen) Knudtson, all of Lake Mills; and Lori (Dennis) Knudtson-Dziura, Albert Lea, Minn.; 10 grandchildren: Karla Knudtson (Cory Yoder), Kendra (Andy) Stene, Kevin (Brooke) Knudtson, Ryan (Kelli) Helgeson, Justin (Megan) Helgeson, Matt (Julianne) Helgeson, Kristanne (Jeremy) Vaught, Andrew (Jennie) Knudtson, Katie Whalen and Jonathan Whalen; many beloved great-grandchildren; four sisters-in-law: Frances Hallett, Crystal Lake; Ruth Knudtson, Mason City; Evelyn Knudtson, Lake Mills; and Delores Knudtson, Forest City; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Allen and Mae; husband, Melburn; in-laws: K. B. (Clara) Knudtson and Mabelle Knudtson; two sisters: Loretta (Enno) Etzen and Nadine (Bill) Price; two brothers: Stanley Hallett and Leo (Millie) Hallett; and numerous brothers- and sisters-in-law.
