Obituary of Connie R. Knodel

Connie R. Knodel, age 66, of Menno, SD passed away peacefully early Tuesday, November 24, 2015 Sanford Medical Center, Sioux Falls, SD after a brief battle with lung cancer. Funeral services will be 10:30 AM, Saturday, November 28, 2015 at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Menno, SD with Rev. Matthew Resner officiating. Burial will be in the Menno Cemetery, Menno, SD. Visitations will be from 6 to 8 PM, Friday, November 27, 2015 at the Aisenbrey-Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel, Menno, SD with a prayer service at 7:00 PM. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church. Pallbearers will be: Orlando Munkvold, Ordell Munkvold, Claudell Munkvold, Paul Knodel, Jeremy Knodel, and Cory Knodel Connie Rae (Munkvold) Knodel, the daughter of Ed and Marie (Gran) Munkvold, was born on May 16, 1949 in Scotland, SD. She attended grade school in Lesterville, SD and graduated from Scotland High School. She was united in marriage to John Knodel on January 3rd, 1976 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Menno, SD. They lived for one year in Lesterville before moving to their home in Menno. From this union they were blessed with two children, a son, John Jr. and a daughter, Jamie. Connie worked as a nurse's aide at the Human Services Center in Yankton, SD. She also worked at the Menno-Olivet Care Center and The Beer Garden in Menno. She then went to work as a clerk at the Prairie Pumper, which led to John and Connie making the convenience store a family business. They owned and operated the Prairie Pumper for 9 years. After selling the store, Connie went to work for the City of Menno in the finance office before going into retirement. While retired, Connie enjoyed doing puzzles, word searches, watching wrestling and the Minnesota Twins. She also enjoyed spending time with friend's uptown having a cup of coffee. Grateful for having shared in Connie's life are her husband of 39 years, John; son, John Jr. (Nicole) of Tea, SD; daughter, Jamie of Sioux Falls, SD; 3 grandchildren: Jaden, Haley, and Alexis of Tea, SD; 3 brothers: Roy Munkvold of Scotland, SD, Edward (Helen) Munkvold of Menno, SD, and Oliver (Jeanette) Munkvold of Lesterville, SD; 4 sisters: Alice Evenson of Yankton, SD, Audrey Holupka of Tyndall, SD, Iona (Elmer) Fischer of Yankton, SD, and Joyce (Kenneth) Kloucek of Scotland, SD; many brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and friends. Connie was preceded in death by her parents, her mother and father-in- law, 3 brothers: Jerome, Albert, and Roland Munkvold and 2 sisters, Edith Weisz and Evelyn Johnson.