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Dallas F. Knudson

Dallas Froholm (Wan-

berg) Knudson, of West

Fargo, and formerly from

Towner, passed away on

Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015,

surrounded by family, in

the Sanford Palliative

Care Unit in Fargo.

Dallas was born at

home on Sept. 11, 1933,

to Rev. R.T. and Olga

(Moe) Wanberg in Town-

er. She graduated from

Towner High School in

1952 and graduated from

Luther College in De-

corah, Iowa, with a BA

majoring in English and

biology, in 1956. Dallas

completed additional gra-

duate studies at NDSU,

UND, the University of

Oslo, Norway, and a fel-

lowship at the John E.

Anderson Graduate

School of Management,

UCLA, Los Angeles.

Dallas taught high

school science in Westby,

Wis., from 1956 to 1960.

In 1960, she bought a

one-way plane ticket to

Norway to begin her

Scandinavian adventure.

She taught and later be-

came principal of the

American Esso School in

Stavanger, Norway, and

Goteborg, Sweden. A

sense of adventure guid-

ed Dallas while overseas,

including working at a

ski resort, hitch hiking in

England, Scotland and

Wales, and touring

Spain.

Upon receiving news

that her mother was ill,

Dallas returned to Town-

er in the fall of 1964 to

care for her. Dallas mar-

ried Warner Knudson

June 18, 1965, and resid-

ed on the family farm

near Berwick. They cele-

brated their 50th anniver

sary with friends and

family in June 2015.

Dallas taught accelerat-

ed English at Minot High

until the birth of their

three children: Alana,

Alyssa and Chad. In

1971, Dallas became a

Head Start Project Direc-

tor, serving nine coun-

ties, until her retirement

in 1998. She developed a

home-based model for

rural preschool children

that became a national

model for implementa-

tion. When Dallas retired

from Head Start, she

worked for the Minot

School System as a grant

writer until 2001. She de-

voted her life to support-

ing others in finding

resources and opportuni-

ties to achieve personal

and professional goals.

Dallas was active in

numerous organizations

throughout her life in-

cluding: national and re-

gional Head Start boards,

Sons of Norway, charter

member of Daughters of

Norway, Rugby Com-

munity Concert Board of

Directors, Darners Club,

Thrivent Board, Silver-

Haired Congress (state

and national), NW Area

Girl Scout Council Board

of Directors, Minot Com-

mission on Aging, State

Aging Commission, Tri

County Nutrition Board

of Directors, and was ap-

pointed to several com-

mittees serving children,

families and the elderly.

Dallas was also dedicated

to church-related activi-

ties and served in leader-

ship positions and as or-

ganist for many years.

She enjoyed documenting

local and family histories

as well as assisting others

with their genealogies. It

was particularly impor-

tant to her to maintain

her connection to her

Norwegian heritage and

relatives. Dallas and

Warner volunteered for

the U.S. Park Service and

served as guides on Am-

trak during the summers.

Traveling, seeing dear

friends and family, and

great adventures guided

their fun together.

Dallas is survived by:

her husband, Warner,

West Fargo; children,

Alana Knudson (Roland

Gamache), Rockville,

Md., Alyssa Knudson

Arntsen (Erik), Duluth,

Minn., and Chad Knud-

son (Becky), West Fargo;

grandchildren, Emma,

Anna and Ella Arntsen,

Duluth, Ben and Rachel

Knudson, West Fargo,

Patrick, Brian and Col-

leen Gamache, Indianapo

lis, and Jack and Emily

Lin, West Fargo; brother,

Larrie Wanberg, Solvang,

Calif.; and sisters-in-law,

Betty Peterson (Pete), Ro-

chester, Minn., and Jean

Baglien (Terry), Placentia,

Calif. She is also sur-

vived by numerous

nieces, nephews and

cousins.

She was preceded in

death by: her parents; an

infant brother; sister,

Nordis Wanberg; brother,

Richard Wanberg; and a

sister-in-law, Bjorg Wan-

berg.

Memorials: In lieu of

flowers, please consider a

memorial to Metigoshe

Ministries, Bottineau, or

the Sanford Palliative

Care Unit, Fargo.

A celebration of her

life will be: 2:30 p.m. Fri-

day, Dec. 11, at Eventide

Sheyenne Crossings in

West Fargo.

A prayer service will

be: 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec.

12, at Zion Lutheran

Church, in Towner.

Arrangements have

been provided by West

Funeral Home, West Far-

go, and Anderson Fu-

neral Home of Rugby/

Towner.