Donna Knothe

August 22, 2018

Donna Knothe passed away on August 22, 2018, at the Heritage Nursing Home in Foley, Minnesota. Donna was born on April 7, 1933, to Olga (Poeppel) and Irwin Daun. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Winona. Donna was a graduate of Winona Senior High School in 1951. She also graduated with Honors from Winona State University in 1955, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Education. She was a member of Phi Delta Kappa Education Honor Society. Donna was united in marriage to Jack Knothe on August 6, 1955. Her first teaching job was in Grosse Ile, Michigan, an island in Lake Eire, where Jack was stationed at Grosse Ile Naval Air Station. The couple then moved to Rushford, Minnesota where she taught business classes, was senior class and year book advisor. She enjoyed all of here students and they her, as the yearbook was dedicated to Donna. In 1959, Jack took a teaching job in Montevideo and the Knothe’s started a family. When the children were of school age Donna started work at Hemstad’s Greenhouse where her love of flowers continued to grow. Her last work experience took her to the Montevideo School Libraries and her passion for reading enlarged their own library. She retired in 1995. Donna and Jack enjoyed numerous bus tours in the U.S. and Canada, their most memorable foreign trips were England, Germany, Austria and Mexico. She was involved in many church activities, a member of the AAUW, a cub scout den leader and American Legion Auxiliary President. Donna spent many hours cross stitching, letter writing, sending many birthday cards and visiting antique shops to enhance her collections. Most of all, she loved spending time with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is survived by her husband Jack, three children: Kirtes (Linda) Knothe, Kent (Pamela) Knothe and Karla (James) Mohagen, 9 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and a baby girl. In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate a donation to the American Legion Auxiliary Nursing Scholarship or the Chippewa County-Montevideo Hospital Dementia Support. Funeral services will be held on Monday, August 27th at 11:00 am at Trinity Lutheran Church. Visitation will be held on Sunday afternoon from 3 to 5 pm at the Wing-Bain Funeral Home in Montevideo and continue one hour prior to services at the church on Monday. Lunch will follow the service at Trinity Lutheran Church. Everyone is invited to the Montevideo American Legion for a time of fellowship and refreshments with the family following the burial at 1:30 pm.