Marilyn Ann Knutson

Marilyn Knutson, age 81, of Fargo, ND, passed away Sunday morning, August 4, 2013 at Sanford Health Palliative Care after a brief but hard fought struggle with Multiple Myeloma.

Marilyn Ann Miller was born on February 10, 1932 in Grand Forks, North Dakota, the beloved only child of Alice (Buck) and Stanley Miller. She was baptized at United Lutheran Church and received her primary and secondary education in Grand Forks. Following her graduation from Grand Forks Central High School in 1950, Marilyn attended the University of North Dakota before transferring to Concordia College where she was active in many musical organizations. She received her Bachelor’s degree Magna Cum Laude in 1954. Following graduation she began her lifelong career bringing music into the lives of others as an elementary school teacher and high school choir director in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota.

While teaching in Pelican Rapids, she met Gothard “Knute” Knutson in 1956 and they were married on June 1, 1958. The couple moved to Revillo, SD and Casselton, ND, before finally settling in Fargo in 1962. In addition to being a devoted wife and mother of two sons, Paul and Jeff, Marilyn was an active piano teacher to hundreds of young students and adults. Together with Clara Piepkorn, she established the children’s choirs of First Lutheran Church in 1964 and worked with them for forty years. Her efforts provided both a Christian and musical foundation for generations of young people. She also accompanied countless choir and solo performances at worship and memorial services at First Lutheran Church and other venues throughout the area. An accomplished member of the First Lutheran Cathedral Choir, Marilyn’s beautiful voice, musical expertise and ardent Christian faith were inspirational to fellow singers and the congregation as a whole.

In addition to her work as a musician, Marilyn was a devoted member of many church and community organizations including the musical sorority Sigma Alpha Iota, the Fargo Moorhead Music Teachers Organization and the Fargo Moorhead Music Club. In 2001 she received the FM Music Teachers’ “Teacher of the Year” award. She also held numerous positions in church committees and service organizations throughout the years. Her kindness and charity to others was concrete proof of the faith she professed and truly practiced.

Marilyn was an avid reader, crossword puzzle enthusiast and music lover who faithfully attended FM Symphony concerts and other musical events throughout the region. She enjoyed knitting and baking and volunteered her services making prayer shawls with the church knitting club and nourishing mourners at First Lutheran. In spite of the distance, Marilyn kept close contact with her children by phone and video. She enjoyed traveling and made frequent trips to visit her grandchildren. She also traveled abroad with family and friends to England, France, Germany, and the Czech Republic.

Marilyn is survived by her husband; sons, Paul (Sonja) Knutson, Westfield, IN; Jeff (Laura) Knutson, College Park, MD; grandchildren, Isaac, Micah, Philip, Alma, and Jan.

She was preceded in death by her parents.