Myrnetta Knudson

MYRNETTA ELAINE (MYHRE) KNUDSON was born on December 4, 1923 in Ann Arbor, Michigan the daughter of Olney and Alice Myhre. Myrnetta married Selby Knudson on January 1, 1942 in Reno, Nevada. While Selby served his country in the U. S. Navy, Myrnetta lived in Twin Falls, Idaho where she worked in a chemical plant as a tester and took classes at a Vocational College. The couple transferred to Oklahoma where she got a job as a bookkeeper for a photographer and for a cosmetology beauty house. When Selby went overseas, Myrnetta moved back with her parents in Moscow, Idaho where she worked as a hostess at the Knobby Inn. After Selby was discharged from the Navy, they moved back to Minnesota and went into the restaurant business in 1945 in Montevideo. In 1948, they moved to Appleton where they bought their second restaurant. They moved back to Montevideo in 1952 where they built a house on South 10th Street. Myrnetta worked at GladyÂ?s Ballroom where she met many famous band leaders. She went back to school, received her High School Diploma and went on to Vocational College to become a credited Nutritionist. Myrnetta worked for the Montevideo School District #129 for 11 years in the lunch program and 3 years as secretary in the lunch office. She was also President of the Minnesota Food Service Association. She retired in 1982 to stay at home to care for her husband who was disabled through World War II. They were married for 62 years before his death in 2003. Myrnetta was a volunteer treasurer for the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary Western #24. On May 8, 1993 she was elected First Junior Vice Commander for the State of Minnesota for the DAVA and State Community Service Chairperson of the DAVA. She became State Commander of the DAVA in 1995-1996. Myrnetta was on the general board of her church, treasurer of a support group, and taught crochet classes at the Senior Citizen Center and a proud member of the VFW Auxiliary Post holding several positions. She enjoyed bowling, crocheting (crocheted her daughter GayeÂ?s wedding dress), knitting, ceramics, sewing, flower gardening, and her poodles. On Thursday, June 24th, 2010, while surrounded by her family at United Hospital in St. Paul Myrnetta gave up her valiant fight for life from complications of cancer. She is survived by two of her three children, Sherry (Hugh Walstad) of Hastings, MN; Russell (deceased) wife Carley (John Malan) of Springfield, IL; Gaye (Walton Smith III) of Spicer, MN; her grandchildren, Tracy Walstad, Jason Walstad, Amanda Van Binsbergen, Erica Meier (Shane), Chelsea Knudson, Sherah Bateman (Aaron), Jasmine Malan (Eric Pitsaroff), Tessa Malan, Mallory Mattimore-Malan, Hunter Smith, and Danielle Smith, 10 great grandchildren, sister Marilyn Eiler, Long Beach, CA and brothers Richmond Myhre, Roseville, CA; Royal Myhre, Spokane, WA; Theodore Myhre, Bend, OR. Myrnetta was prededed in her death by her husband Selby in 2003, her son Russell in 1985, her grandson Dion in 1971, her father and mother, along with her twin sister Myrna Rogers, brotherÂ?s Eugene Myhre and Randolph Myhre, sisters Gloria Sollee, Dorla Goodrich, and Dorothy Prouty.