Beverly Ann Knudsen, 75,

On Oct. 28, 2015, Bev Knudsen passed peacefully on the night of a full moon. Surrounded by family and friends, held in the caring arms of the Hospice House, her final days were filled with shared love, laughter, memories, faith and gratitude.

Born Dec. 28, 1939, in Paso Robles, Calif., Bev spent her childhood on a farm with her father (Ashton Burwell Stoddart), her mother (Gwenith Elenor Stoddart), sister Mary and brother Richard (Dick). Bev often reminisced about her early days, raising sheep, her mom’s cooking and the daily chores that instilled a strong work ethic she carried throughout her life. Upon graduating from beauty school, Bev opened her own shop in Santa Rosa, Calif. The days she spent with her clients brought her great joy.

Bev’s other great joy was cruising around town in her 1957 T-Bird. She fell in love with Lawrence Knudsen (Larry) after a first date on a road rally in San Francisco. They married in August 1968 and began their 46 years of adventures together.

In 1970, Bev and Larry followed their dream to live closer to nature. She said moving to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, was one of her best decisions. There they raised their two children, Gretchen and Derek.

With homemade cookies always in the freezer and her world famous “Pfeffernuts” at holiday time, Bev’s warm heart and constant smile welcomed many into their home. Their house was always filled with kids. Whether they were children from the neighborhood, at Ramsey Elementary where she volunteered and was known as “mom,” or part of the large Girl Scout troop she co-led, children could always count on her for fun and support.

Bev had a passion for camping, boating and fishing. She cast her lines far and wide, fishing in rivers, lakes and oceans throughout Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Mexico and the Pacific Northwest. Often, Bev caught the “Big One."

She loved to explore new places. Whether it was taking road trips, driving up a mountain with the Jeep Club, traveling to China, jumping into a hot air balloon, climbing a pyramid in Mexico, looking for wildflowers, or discovering a new river to fish, there was nowhere that Bev wasn’t willing to go. But nothing made her happier than going to places and spending time with her grandchildren, Fiona and Tate.

Everyone who knew Bev knew that she was game for conversation. There wasn’t a cup of coffee she wouldn’t drink, nor a new friend she wouldn’t make, and always with a smile.

Bev shared her gifts with many. She was a talented seamstress: from Barbie doll clothes to custom bags, boat covers to wedding dresses, and anything in between, she could design and create it. Bev could always be found gardening and feeding her stray cats, squirrels and birds. She loved her dogs with abandon. And she loved her football.

Bev will be greatly missed by her husband Larry, her children Gretchen and Derek, daughter-in-law Cherie, grandkids Fiona and Tate, her forever son-in-law Chris and the many others to whom she was a second mom.

On Nov. 7, 2015, her life was celebrated at Higgens Point, a place where she had very fond memories of watching her grandkids play in the water, spotting bald eagles and fishing off its shores.

We raise our coffee cups to Bev in celebration of the great times spent together and the memories we will cherish forever.

Words cannot describe the deep gratitude Bev and her family has for the caring staff at the Hospice House and Kootenai Hospital. The family requests donations be made to Hospice of North Idaho.