Phyllis Emma Knutson

Phyllis Emma Knutson. 98, passed away peacefully in her sleep Tuesday, July 13 at her home in Grant.

Phyllis was born in Bates, Idaho, on July 8, 1923 to Carl and Alena (Daniels) Ripplinger. She graduated from Driggs High School in three years. She attended Ricks College for one year and then graduated as a registered nurse from the nursing program at the LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City Utah, which was affiliated with the University of Utah.  Since this was during World War II, she became a cadet nurse.

She married Alfred (Al) Kenneth Knutson on Feb. 16, 1945 in the Salt Lake Temple when he was on furlough from the U.S. Army during World War II. They were married 68 years when he died Aug. 31, 2013.

Phyllis worked at the Teton Valley Hospital in Driggs until the war ended and she joined her husband. After he was discharged from the Army, she worked at the Teton Valley Hospital and at the Madison Memorial Hospital in Rexburg. They farmed in Felt and Hamer and owned and operated Grade A Dairy and a mobile home park in Rexburg and they raised prize winning sheep in Grant.

They were blessed with six children but only raised five since a daughter only lived 16 hours.

Phyllis was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serving as junior Sunday School coordinator, counselor, Primary, Young Women and Relief Society teacher, visiting teacher, family history coordinator, teacher of 11-year-old scouts for 25 years and was stake scout director for five years where she received the Merit Award and Silver Beaver Award. She was also a visiting teacher for 68 years. She was a member of The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.

With her husband, she served a full-time mission to the Cook Islands and two short missions to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada and Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

Phyllis was an accomplished seamstress and taught sewing to 4-H members.  She loved to read embroider, quilt, crochet, garden, can, genealogy and travel.

Survivors are sons, Albert (Sharon) Knutson of Queen Valley, Arizona, Neil (Betsy) Knutson of Twin Falls, Roger (Brenda) Knutson of Caldwell, and daughter, Karleen Orcutt of Glendale, CA, 14 grandchildren, 38 great grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, infant daughter Janetta, son, Ralph, grandsons Keith and Ben Knutson, parents, sisters, Alta Preston and Cecil Olson, brothers, Raymond, Weston and Francis., sister-in-law, Kay Ripplinger and son-in-law Fred Orcutt.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, July 19, 2021 at the Grant Ward Chapel, 3431 E. 100 N. Rigby, ID 83442.  The family will receive friends prior to services from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at the church.  Interment will follow in the Bates Cemetery in Driggs, Idaho.