Ida Knell

Ida Knell, 99, passed away on October 21, 2018 at Elm Crest Manor, New Salem. Services will be held at 10:00 AM CDT on Friday, October 26, 2018 at Peace Lutheran Church, Hazen, ND, with Pastor Mark Martin and Pastor Walt Wolff officiating. Burial will follow at St. Peter’s Lutheran Cemetery, north of Hazen.  

Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 25, 2018 from 5:00-7:00 PM CDT at Barbot Funeral Home, Hazen.

Ida Pauline Knell was born in the Hazen area on February 14th, 1919 to Reinhold and Pauline (Oster) Adolf. She was the second of six children. Her special birth date resulted in many heart shaped boxes of candy and heart shaped cakes over the years.

Ida was educated at a rural school north of Hazen. On September 29, 1940 she married Arnold Knell at St. Peter's Lutheran Church north of Hazen. Joining them in a double ceremony were her sister, Hertha and Arnold's brother, Traugott. This union produced three sons and a daughter.

Arnold and Ida's first home was a sod house on a small farm near the family farms. In 1950 they moved to a farm eight miles north of Hazen and farmed and lived there until 2005 when they moved to an apartment in Hazen. Ida was an avid gardener and enjoyed sharing the bounty of her garden and fruit trees with family and friends. She was famous in town for her dill pickles and had many customers who brought their jars for her to fill with her amazing pickles. She planted her last garden at age 86 and dearly missed gardening when they moved into their apartment.

Ida spent most of her days in the winter sewing quilts for her family and for Lutheran World Relief. She continued sewing quilts even after they moved into the apartment, wearing out several sewing machines. Her failing eyesight finally forced her to give up quilting, but not before she completed hundreds for the church to give to those who needed them.

Ida was a longtime member of Peace Lutheran Church in Hazen. She had a strong faith in her Lord Jesus Christ and she believed that she served Him by serving His children in any way she could. 

Arnold died in 2011 and Ida moved to Elm Crest Manor in New Salem in 2015. Ida resided there until her death. The family is grateful to the staff of Elm Crest who took such wonderful care of her for the past three years and especially during her last few weeks.

Ida is survived by her children, Duane (Marlys) Knell of Washburn, Richard (Dianne) Knell and Ardella (Thomas) Ekstrom all of Mandan, and Daniel (Bonnie) Knell of Hazen; nine grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; one sister, Violet Isaak, Bismarck; and one brother-in-law, Alvin (Marcella) Knell, Hazen.

Ida was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her siblings; Hertha, Frieda, Erwin, and Clarence, several brothers and sisters in-law, and two great granddaughters.

Arrangements conducted by Barbot Funeral Home, Beulah and Hazen.

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