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Alice M. (Knudsen) Schattauer died peacefully in her room at Carter Place, Blair, Nebraska, where she had lived with her beloved cat, Lily White, since suffering a stroke last March. In her last days, she was surrounded by family and friends, who accompanied her on these last steps of her life's journey. She was 94 years old. Even in her declining health, she continued to draw people to her gracious and loving presence and to inspire us with her strength and calm.

Alice was born in Des Moines, Iowa, on December 15, 1925, the third child of Christen Marius Knudsen and Martha Johanna (Madsen) Knudsen, who had both immigrated from Denmark. She was baptized at Bethesda Lutheran Church on January 24, 1926, where she was also confirmed. She grew up on East Washington Street in Des Moines, near the Des Moines River, where she remembered fishing in the summer and skating in the winter. Alice graduated from East High School in 1942, the salutatorian of her graduating class.

Alice was preceded in death by her life partner, Carl; her parents, Christen and Martha; her sisters Helen Thompson (Howard "Tommie"), Edna Kennedy (Frank), and her brother E. H. ("Al") Knudsen (Jean). Alice is survived by her four children: Thomas Schattauer (Paula Carlson) of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Paul Schattauer (Marcia) of Oak Park, Illinois, James Schattauer (Sage Lewis) of Prescott, Arizona, and Martha Sorensen (Tom) of Blair, Nebraska; eight grandchildren: Peter Schattauer of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Anna Schattauer Paille (Joseph) of Wyckoff, New Jersey; Spencer Schattauer and Lucas Schattauer of Oak Park, Illinois; Kai Sorensen (Liza Greenberg) of Brooklyn, New York, Stephanie Sorensen (Conrad Barber) of Omaha, Nebraska; Emma Sorensen and Andrew Sorensen of Blair, Nebraska; great-grandson, Marlow Barber; sister-in-law, Jean Knudsen of Des Moines, Iowa, and brother-in-law Neal Schattauer of Englewood, Florida; cousin Connie Sorensen (Jean) and many dear nieces and nephews, great and great-great nieces and nephews.

Visitation and Vigil will be held on Friday, January 31, from 4:00-8:00 PM at First Lutheran Church, 2146 Wright Street, Blair. A vigil service of scripture, song, remembrance, and prayer will conclude the visitation, starting at 7:00 PM. Funeral services will take place at the church the next morning, Saturday, February 1, at 10:30 AM, with committal to the columbarium in the prayer garden. Memorial gifts may be given to First Lutheran Church, Blair, or to Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa.

#2 Funeral Leaflet

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Alice Marjorie (Knudsen) Schattauer December 15, 1925 ~ January 1, 2020

Baptized January 24, 1926

[the following paragraphs were left out of the obituary printed in the newspaper]

Alice met the love of her life, Carl Schattauer, when he moved to Des Moines from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1936. She was 11 years old (Carl was 12). They became fast friends, and their friendship grew quickly into young love. They were engaged as Carl entered the Army at the beginning of World War II. When Carl returned from the Pacific at the end of the war, they married at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Des Moines, on May 19, 1946. Their love, commitment, and joy in one another remained strong for their 67 years of marriage.

After high school, Alice worked as a secretary in the actuarial department at the Des Moines Office of Banker’s Life. She supported Carl through his college years at Drake and continued in that support when he experienced a call to pastoral ministry. Carl’s call took them to Trinity Seminary in Blair, Nebraska, the seminary of the pious and mission-minded Danish Lutherans of the United Evangelical Lutheran Church (UELC), which was Alice’s heritage and Carl’s adopted church home. In Blair, she served as secretary to the president of the UELC. Her years as Carl’s partner in ministry took them to congregations in Storm Lake, Council Bluffs, and Ames, all in Iowa, then in Blair, Nebraska, and finally to the Nebraska Synod office in Omaha, before their retirement in 1994, and eventually a move back to Blair. As the spouse of a pastor, Alice happily participated in choirs and women’s groups and showed care in countless ways to each and every one. Many have benefited from her wisdom and counsel and felt her love and care, especially in difficult times.

Alice’s principal energies and commitments focused on her family and friends. Throughout her life, she remained close to her parents, to her sisters Helen and Edna, her brother Al, and the Thompson, Kennedy, and Knudsen families, as well as to her Tante Esther (her mother’s sister) and the Sorensen family. With her marriage to Carl, the Schattauer in-laws were added to the circle. Most of all she was devoted to her own children—Tom, Paul, James, and Martha—and their spouses; her eight grandchildren, and most recently her great-grandson. Friends too joined the circle of her delight and care in her relationships. In recent years, the companionship of her faithful cat, Lily, was a special source of comfort and joy through everything.

Throughout their life together, Alice and Carl enjoyed frequent visits with family and friends and the opportunity to share in the lives of their children and grandchildren. Nothing pleased Alice more than being surrounded by her family and friends, or, in the case of one’s absence, simply knowing that all was well. Alice had an extraordinary capacity to open herself to others—to love and be loved—and to nurture that way of being in all of us. And for her, such love was a gift from God to be shared from one generation to another.

Funeral Liturgy for Alice Marjorie (Knudsen) Schattauer 1925-2020 Baptized January 24, 1926

First Lutheran Church, Blair, Nebraska Saturday, February 1, 2020 10:30 AM. Presiding Minister: Rev. Dr. Scott Frederickson. Preacher: Rev. Kristen Capel. Assisting Minister, P.M.A. Crucifer: Lucas Schattauer. Bible Bearer: Emma Sorenson. Paschal Candle Bearer: Anna Schattauer Paillé.

Pallbearers: Peter Schattauer, Kai Sorenson, Stephanie Sorenson, Spencer Schattauer, Andrew Sorenson, Laurie Lamoureux, Jay Lamoureux, Noah Buffett-Kennedy.

Words of Remembrance and Thanksgiving: Martha Sorenson, James Schattauer. Readers: Thomas Schattauer, Paul Schattauer. Gift Bearers: Paula Carlson, Tom Sorensen, Marcia Schattauer, Sage Lewis. Organist: Clare Cowing. Cantors: Kimberly Capel, Susan Kennedy. Singer/Songwriter: James Schattauer. Scripture Verse Readers at the Committal: Stephanie Sorenson, Spencer Schattauer, Andrew Sorenson

Funeral Arrangements: Campbell-Aman Funeral Home

~~~Obituary and funeral leaflet courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings and leaflets on file in the Blair Public at Blair, Nebraska. ~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #205996106