Ruth Knowlen

Jesus welcomed Ruth Knowlen, 80, of Bismarck, to her heavenly home on July 31.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM, Friday, August 4 at Century Baptist Church, 205 Colt Ave, Bismarck. 

Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 6:00 PM, Thursday, August 3^rd with a prayer service starting at 6:00 PM at Century Baptist Church.

Burial will follow at 1:00 PM, Friday, August 4 at the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery, Mandan. 

Ruth was born to John and Mary Hausauer, Regan, ND, at their farm on February 9, 1943 during a blizzard. She survived an unexpected birth, weighing just over three pounds.  Little baby Ruthie was the 10^th of 10 children.  Ruth and her parents moved to Bismarck when she was four years old.  She attended Richholt Elementary, Hughes Junior High School and Bismarck High School during her school age years. 

In October 1960, she married Joe Knowlen, an electrician and jack of all trades. They had three children, Kim, Bismarck, Scott, Mandan, and Mike (Kerry) of Mandan. She loved being a grandmother to all of the grandchildren: Erik of Minot, Cody of Bismarck, Zac (Ashley) of Dickinson, Kael (Lexi) of Bismarck, Austin (Ally) of Bismarck and Atlanta (Taylor) Hellman of Mandan. In more recent years, she was able to share her love and affection to her great-grandchildren Liam, Amelia, Ella, and Lennox. 

In their younger days, Joe and Ruth enjoyed camping with their children, family and friends, including Dick and Kathy Eckert. But, by far, their favorite pastime was playing pinochle.  Weekends held many late-night card games with family and friends. Ruth also enjoyed her membership at Century Baptist Church, serving on the funeral committee for several years.  Later in life, she resided at Edgewood Vista in Mandan.  She made many friends there, including a table of friends she dined with and others she visited with who would water her plants etc. if she was in the hospital.  She especially loved the nurses and staff there and considered many of them to be her friends also. 

A nicer, kinder lady would be hard to find.  We will miss her greatly, but we think we can hear her and Dad, Aunt B and Uncle Willie laughing and shuffling cards for the next game!

Ruth Knowlen is survived by all of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by both parents; her husband, Joseph Knowlen; all of her siblings and their spouses, with the exception of Arlene Hausauer, and her daughter-in-law, Shelly Knowlen.