Mrs. Kathleen E. Knudson, 56, of Morris, was taken to her heavenly home on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011, while surrounded by her loving family and friends at Morris Hospital following her courageous efforts to recuperate from a May 2010 boating accident that left her a quadriplegic.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2011, at Fruland Funeral Home, 121 W. Jefferson St.. Morris. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. The Rev. Ed Howe, CR, will officiate.
A visitation will also be held at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services on Wednesday.
Interment will be in Mt. Carmel Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be her nephews, Brett Bennett, Ryan Bennett, Shaun Black, Jacob Maskel and Rick Greenley and niece, Kaylea Maskel.
Born June 2, 1955, in Morris, Kathy was the daughter of Ole M. and Frances (Vorek) Greenley. She was raised in Morris and attended Immaculate Conception Grade School and graduated from Morris Community High School with the Class of 1973.
On Dec. 31, 1994, Kathy married Stephen Knudson in Las Vegas, Nev., and together they lived their entire married life in Morris.
Kathy worked as manager of Natasha’s Furniture Store in Morris, and was an insurance agent for her sister and brother-in-law, and then became a loving caretaker and companion for Helen Hexdall, who became a second mom to her until her tragic accident.
She loved Florida or any island, beaches, dolphins, humming birds, seafood, Jimmy Buffett music, and working in the yard where she had a green thumb with flowers. She didn’t know a stranger and most of all she loved spending time with her son, family and many friends.
She was a devoted Chicago White Sox fan and an enthusiastic Green Bay Packers fan. She was a great mom, wife and sister, and most of all a great friend and will be missed now that Heaven has a new angel. We know she will be watching over us.
Survivors include her husband of 16 years, Stephen; her son, Charles ”Chuck” Black of Morris; three sisters, Jo Ann (Robert, deceased) Chalus, Marifran (James) Black and her caretaker and sister, Karen (Eric Moore) Maskel, all of Morris; two brothers, Ole M. (Cheryl) Greenley of Carbon Cliff, Ill., and Christopher (Tonya Peel) Greenley of Morris; her mother-in-law, JoAnn Knudson of Morris; two brothers-in-law, George and Stanley (Jen) Knudson, both of Morris; two sisters-in-law, Sue (Mark )Brooks and Kathy (Joe) Kutches, both of Morris; special friends, Linda Wilson, Jill Woods and caretaker Robin Mitchell; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her step father, John Simpson; her brother, Richard J. Greenley; her nephew, Dustin Greenley; her father-in-law, George Knudson; her maternal grandparents, Joseph and Josephine Vorek; and paternal grandparents, Matthew Greenley and Myrtle Evans.
Until the end , Kathy was devoted to her family and trying to make the best of her disability. She will be greatly missed.
Memorials may be directed to Immaculate Conception Church Building Fund, Immaculate Conception Church or to the family.
For more information, call the Fruland Funeral Home in Morris at (815) 942-0700 or sign the private online guestbook at www.frulandfuneralhome.com.