Mass of Christian Burial for Thomas C. Knudson, age 69, of Mobridge will be at 10 AM, Saturday, July 21, 2012 at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Mobridge. Burial will be at Norway Lutheran Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will be from 3-5 PM Friday at the funeral home. A prayer service will be at 7 PM at the church.

Thomas Carl Knudson died Tuesday, July 17, 2012 at his home in Mobridge after a courageous battle with brain cancer. He was born on October 19, 1942 in Eureka, S.D. to Loyd and Leona (Falde) Knudson. After spending his first few years on the family farm near Mound City, S.D., Tom's parents moved the family to a ranch near McLaughlin, S.D.

He graduated from McLaughlin High School in 1960 and attended Huron College and the University of S.D. Tom excelled in sports and competed in basketball, football, baseball, track and golf. He was inducted to the S.D. Amateur Basketball Hall of Fame.

On October 15, 1966, Tom married Mary Ann Cronin in Gettysburg, S.D. They were blessed with five children and fourteen grandchildren. The couple celebrated 45 years of marriage in 2011. Tom and Mary Ann purchased the ranch near McLaughlin from his parents and enjoyed farming and ranching until retiring in 1998 and moving to Mobridge. There are many good family memories, including rounding up and branding cattle with neighbors, riding horses, snowmobiling, harvesting wheat and picking May flowers, chokecherries and corn. He also worked for Border States Paving and Jensen Rock and Sand.

Tom participated in many local events and was the McLaughlin Township Board Chairman, President of the McLaughlin School Board and served on the McLaughlin Golf Association and McLaughlin Rodeo Association Boards.

Throughout his life, Tom attended and watched numerous sporting events and especially enjoyed seeing his children and grandchildren play sports and participate in other activities. Tom was an avid reader and collected Louis L'Amour books. He liked playing cards with friends, hunting, doing puzzles and following the Minnesota Twins and Vikings plus many other teams. Tom had a great sense of humor and liked to tell jokes and stories. Tom loved his family and always enjoyed spending time with grandchildren.

Grateful for having shared Tom's life are his wife, Mary Ann; children, Kari (Tom Senftner) of Bismarck, N.D., Jill (Jon Olson), Jackie (Dan Heil), Karyl Knudson and T.J. (Brittany) Knudson of Mobridge; grandchildren, Marriann and Brit Senftner, Isaac, Gretchen, Heidi and Luke Olson, Teddy, Faith and Claire Heil, Dexter, Kalvin and Jacy Netterville and Kale and Rue Knudson; brothers, Bob Knudson of Mobridge and Gary (Karen) Knudson of Rhinelander, WI and sister Joy Wittler of Agar, SD. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Tom was preceded in death by his parents Loyd and Leona Knudson. He will be greatly missed by family and friends.