Kristi Kay Knutson, age 57, of Luverne, Minnesota, died peacefully surrounded by family on Sunday, January 28, 2024, at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage.
Visitation was Wednesday, January 31, from 4-8 p.m. at Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne. Funeral service was Thursday, February 1, at 10:30 a.m. at American Reformed Church in Luverne.
Burial followed at Leota Community Cemetery in Leota, Minnesota. Arrangements were under the care of Hartquist Funeral Home.
To view Kristi’s LifeTribute or sign an online registry, please visit www.hartquistfuneral.com.
Kristi Kay Knutson was born on August 8, 1966, to Dalwyn and Joyce (Vis) Schelhaas in Luverne, Minnesota. She was baptized at the Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church in Leota, Minnesota. Kristi loved growing up in Kenneth, Minnesota, where she rode bike and go-carts, played Kick-the-Can for hours with the neighbor kids, and played various night games. In the winters she built many variations of snow forts and snowmobiled throughout the Kenneth hills. She always drove so she could throw others off the tube or toboggan. Her dad would make big bonfires and they would have hotdogs and s’mores for her and the Kenneth crew.
She loved attending Bible school, Christmas Eve candlelight services at the Kenneth Lutheran Church, and attending great birthday parties. Kristi attended Leota Christian Grade School and graduated from Southwest Christian High School in Edgerton, Minnesota, in 1984. She then attended Stewart School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for Cosmetology. She worked as a cosmetologist in Luverne starting with Mane Works, then opened Shear Reflections, A Cut Above, and then began cutting hair in her home. She would then work at AbadabaDo and finally Kristi’s, her own shop.
Kristi was blessed with four children and three granddaughters. She was thankful to have raised her children on a beautiful acreage, starting out in a small house and later moving into a larger home that she helped design in 1998. Kristi always welcomed extra kids to her home, no matter the time of day, reason, or season. There was plenty to keep everyone entertained with the hot tub, pool table, basketball court, snowmobiles, tree house, and 4-wheelers (thankfully no accidents). She enjoyed hosting many events at the acreage including holidays, countless birthdays, and four fun high school graduation parties on the acreage.
In January of 2023, Kristi was diagnosed with cancer. In October of 2023, Kristi officially retired.
On Sunday, January 28, 2024, Kristi died peacefully, with family by her side, at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage in Luverne at the age of 57 years, 5 months, and 20 days.
Kristi was member of American Reformed Church in Luverne, although her home church for 50 years was the Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church in Leota, where she faithfully brought her children as they were growing up. She taught GEMS and Children’s Church. Kristi was the first female school board member at the Leota Christian School. In her spare time, she kept busy baking cookies, making Pigs in a Blanket, school cleaning, canning corn, apples, helping with numerous fundraisers, donation sales, and driving for school trips. She enjoyed gardening and taking care of her yard. Kristi especially loved time at the lake. She enjoyed taking the boat out and taking her kids tubing and waterskiing. Kristi was faithful to attend her three boys’ sports games, including basketball, soccer, and track, and Lexi’s volleyball, basketball, track meets. She was able to travel to some great places, with her favorite trips being those taken with her children to France, New York, and California.
Left to cherish her memory are her children, Blair Knutson of Sammamish, Washington, Brooks (Kelsey) Knutson of Gale Ferry, Connecticut, Klint Knutson of Kanas City, Missouri, and Alexis (Ben) Broers of Las Vegas, Nevada; three grandchildren, Kennedy, Natalie, and Aubrey; siblings, Ava (Ron) Christians of Kenneth, Kirk (Karmen) Schelhaas of Worthington, Minnesota, and Jay (Lisa) Schelhaas of Pella, Iowa; and mother, Joyce Schelhaas of Edgerton, Minnesota.
She was preceded in death by her father, Dalwyn Schelhaas.
In lieu of flowers and gifts, memorials may be directed to Carson’s Cause through the Luverne Area Community Foundation.