Ida A. Knutson, 96

Ida was born Feb. 24, 1920, at home near Proctor. Her father, Peder Underdal, came to America in 1901 from Norway, going back in 1906 to get his soon-to-be wife.

They homesteaded about 35 miles east of Conrad, having three children, Melvin, Clarence and Ida. Early school was in a one-room schoolhouse a half-mile away. Ida graduated in 1938 from Shelby High School, staying in town during the week.

She went to business school in Minnesota and got a job with Northwest Airlines in St. Paul, working as a secretary to the operations manager.

After a few years, she was needed at home on the farm to help out. Her mother passed away in 1944.

She met and married a neighbor, Clarence Knutson, farming his place and some of her father’s. They bought a cabin on Whitefish Lake in the ‘40s to have more things to do in the winter. Both learned to ski on Big Mountain.

In 1959 they decided to retire from farming and move to Whitefish so Greg and Gary could start school there instead of out in the country. The family got more involved with the ski run, helping out with getting the first chairlift built in 1960.

Ida and Clarence had a great retirement, until Clarence passed away from cancer in 1978.

Ida then went back to work, as Greg and Gary were gone, both being in the service, for Abell Agency for her boss and great friend, Terrell L. Abell. When that business was closed, she worked and volunteered at the Stumptown Historical Society with Jill Evans until the summer of 2016.

Ida passed away Feb. 2, 2017, after a good life with lots of good times.

In lieu of flowers, please make any memorials to Christ Lutheran Church, or the charity of your choice.