Today's Featured Biography

 
Sarah Evans Knutson

Work history: Baby tending ... 25 cents an hr. to watch five little ones... Car hop at Frostop Root beer -- no roller skates, but delivered many hamburgers (5 for a $1.00). Sold shoes and hankies at Donaldson's Dept. Store and ... Yes, they had one full counter of handkerchiefs. Nurses aide, then nurses training. Taught kindergarten nursery school and worked at the hospital and in special care nursing in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. First and last ride in a siren blaring ambulance. Back to MN and work at Abbott Hospital. Then worked for United Air Lines as a stewardess (now called a flight attendant)...a reservationist, and ticket agent at the Radisson and Lemington Hotels. Then back to nursing. Have sold Amway (going to make millions. (Ha!)...Avon until a dog bit my foot. Worked as a waitress at a supper club, worked at a fast food restaurant as cook .... (Hate to cook...did not last long.) Carpet sales rep. Sold women's clothing in a local store...and sold homes (Windermere Real Estate Agent).

About a month ago, I ran into some guys that informed me it was 21 years ago that I helped them purchase their house. ... Holy cow!

Worked as a merchandiser for Dery Brothers in NY and Sellthrough in CA.. Volunteered in our children's schools...in a care center (old folks home)...and was an escort for babies already adopted internationally and within the States.

I've had the thought of starting my own business, but a friend suggested that if I wait long enough, the thought will pass...and it has. In my spare time, I took enough college classes to have a couple of degrees -- one for sure in electives.

Oh! I Just remembered ... I did not wait long enough for the business idea to pass and a friend and I did make vests for ski areas and broke even but we would have done pretty good (m a y b e) except a down turn in the economy and my friend's husband lost his job.

Highlights of life so far: Marriage to Gary Knutson whom I met in 5th grade...Three beautiful children -- two girls and a boy: Stacy, Cathy, and Chuck; three grandchildren: Josh, 1st year in college (beautiful blond taller than me); 13 yr. old Ellie; and Paul who just turned two and does not talk much but knows all 44 Presidents! (Takes after his Nana, of course.) Swimming with the dolphins in Mexico and New Zealand...Climbed Mt. St. Helens (after it blew)...Climbed to Camp Muir on Mt. Rainier (these last two: real challenges to me)... a fabulous 70th birthday party with wonderful family and friends (and, of course, with squirt guns!) So many wonderful happenings ... just can’t list them all. I have been blessed beyond my dreams -- a very lucky duck!!

Gary was in the Air Force and then with NWA for 34 years retiring 11 yrs. ago at age 60 as Captain on the 747. So we have been able to travel tons.

Enjoy, immensely, playing tennis, oil and watercolor painting, book club, massages, yoga, any kind of dancing, people cooking for me and leaving a mint on my pillow each night -- so we go on cruises as often as possible, and to AZ. in the winter.

We have lived on Vashon Island for 34 years. Vashon is located between Seattle and Tacoma in the Puget Sound. The population is approx. 10,000. It is like a small town in MN. except we take a ferry boat to get here.

I am so happy Shel is having us do a bio ... it’s a great start on our obituary and fascinating to read where all our lives have taken us. All those years and our lives take only one page. (Ha!) We have had our share of sadness and heartache... but, fortunately, we have managed to carry on and find joy again.

Tons of THANKS to Shel and his helpers for all the time and effort they have put into this project. A huge undertaking and a huge success!!!

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