Funeral Service for Doris Elaine Knutson, 88, of New Effington, SD will be held on Thursday, April 4, 2013 at 2:00 PM at the Cahill Funeral Chapel, Sisseton, SD with Rev. Suzanne Benidt officiating. Organist will be Mona Greseth with Pat Schubert as the soloist. Pallbearers will be Doris's great-grandchildren, Aurora, Payton, Preslie, and Parker Ercink, Kaitlyn and Mason Deal, and Sidney and Busy Williams. Interment will be in the Sisseton Cemetery, Sisseton, SD. There will be visitation on Thursday, April 4, 2013 from 9:00 AM until time of service at the chapel. Doris was born in Sisseton, SD on March 2, 1925 to Floyd and Pearl (Tuftom) Heath. She grew up and attended school in Sisseton and graduated from Sisseton High School. Doris worked for the rations office for a time and she was married to Edwin Knutson on January 10, 1948 in Dallas, TX. The couple lived in Dallas for two years then moved to New Effington, SD where Edwin was the barber. Doris taught Sunday school and was treasurer for many years at Zion Lutheran church in New Effington. She also worked at the Shelstad store. The couple also ran the White Eagle Ballroom for many years. She also worked at the Tekakwitha Nursing Home. Doris lived in New Effington until she moved to the Tekakwitha Nursing Center in December of 2009. She passed away on March 31, 2013 at the Nursing Center.
Doris is survived by her daughter Marlys and husband John Ercink of Lake City, SD; Three grandchildren, John and(Stacy) Ercink Jr. of Lisbon, ND, Tracy and(Aaron) Deal of Wheaton, MN, and Keri and (Louis) Williams of Sisseton, SD; and eight great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Dr. Wayne and Esther Knutson of Vermillion, SD and one sister-in-law, Hazel and Harvey Marzhausen of Minneapolis, MN.
Doris was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two sisters, Mona Gravdal, and Marlys Heath, and one brother Stanley Heath, one brother-in-law, and one sister in-law