Wilma H. Knudson

Wilma Adeline (Hansen) Knudson, 102, passed away on Thursday, July 4, 2013, at Landsun Homes in Carlsbad, NM. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Wednesday, July 10, 2013, at Denton-Wood Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Carlsbad, NM on Thursday, July 11, 2013, at 10:00 AM, with The Rev. Andrew W. Dimit officiating. Burial will follow in Carlsbad Cemetery. Denton-Wood Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Wilma was born to Hans Ferdinand and Gina Marie (Tergerson) Hansen in Cranfills Gap, Texas on June 20, 1911. She attended school in Cranfills Gap and Clifton, Texas, graduating from Clifton Lutheran Academy, Clifton, Texas in 1930. In 1933 she received her RN degree after 3 years training at St. Paul's Hospital School of Nursing in Dallas, Texas. Wilma worked as an RN in various fields of nursing in Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and New Mexico. On June 7, 1936, she and Oscar Evan Knudson were united in marriage at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Cranfills Gap, Texas. Their first home was in Lovington, NM they moved to Carlsbad in 1941. Wilma was an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Carlsbad, holding all offices in the Women's Mission League. She was also a member of the VFW Women's Auxiliary Post #3277. She was a member of the American Nurses Association and the New Mexico Nurses Association, District 7, Carlsbad, NM. In January 2007, Wilma was awarded "lifetime membership" in the American Nurses Association, having been a member for 67 years. In May 2007, her name was placed in the Norwegian American Historical Association archives in St. Olaf Lutheran College in Northfield, Minn. She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Oscar Evan Knudson, on December 24, 1993; her parents; her sisters Jewel Pauline (Hansen) Tindall of Borger TX and Frances Lee (Hansen) Coffey of Canon City, CO, 1 niece and 5 nephews. Wilma is survived by 6 nieces and 8 nephews: Phyllis Davis of Salinas KS, Kay Clark Havard of Houston, TX, Marsha Covel Baghdadi of Palm Beach, FL, Richie Knudson Butler of Baytown, TX, Gae Poulsen of Carrolton, TX, Greta Poulsen of Dallas, TX, Kelly Traylor of Henriette, TX, Roger Coffey of Canon City, CO, Joe Baker of Georgetown, TX, Brian Baker of Prague, OK, Fred Paul Clark of Longview, TX, Tommy Clark of Houston, TX, Danny Traylor of Katy, TX, and Philip Covell of Kent, OH. She is also survived by numerous great nieces, nephews and cousins, including Marilyn (Knudson) Mason of El Paso, TX, Carolyn Knudson Perry of Garland, TX, Randy Tindall of Borger, TX and her loving caregiver Linda Ahrens of Carlsbad, NM. Pallbearers will be Norm Siepel, Bob Daugherty, Charles Siepel, Terry Siepel, Bill Ahrens and Roy Chapler. Honorary pallbearers are Gerald Cass, Bert Whitmire, Danny York, Freddy Beard, Carl Manganaro, Robert Kreul and Dr. Larry Krueger. Memorial contributions may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church, 905 N. Halagueno St., Carlsbad, NM 88220 or Landsun Caring Hands Fund, 2002 Westridge Rd., Carlsbad NM 88220 or to a charity of your choice. Condolences may be expressed at dentonwood.com